Photos & videos
Recommended Reviews
Overall rating
35 reviews
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
- Feb 22, 2021
This bear statue is the symbol of Madrid! Located in the busiest part of the city center, Sol, the bronze bear is posed with a strawberry tree, an image that's on the city's coat of arms. I just read on Atlas Obscura that "The first known use of the bear as a symbol of Madrid occurred in 1212 when knights from the city charged into the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa against the Moors carrying standards emblazoned with a bear." The strawberry tree was once thought of as curing the plague too. The statue isn't very big, but if you're visiting the city, you'll definitely visit the city center and walk by it at one point.
Helpful 10Thanks 0Love this 7Oh no 0 - Feb 27, 2017
Some things defy explanation and this is one. The bear and the strawberry tree have been the symbol of Madrid since the 13th Century and have appeared on the city's coat of arms for centirues. More recently, this statue in Puerta del Sol was made and put on display.
Wikipedia doesn't explain how the symbol of Madrid came to be this, so I don't have an explanation for you. If you have it, I'm open!
If you're looking for something that says "Madrid" then you've found it. Get your selfie here.
It's just to the left of the Apple Store.Helpful 7Thanks 0Love this 9Oh no 0 - 1166153040Apr 25, 2017
El Oso y el Madroño, what a long name for the statue. I found it quite cute as well, a bear with a tree. This is actually the symbol of the city. It could be find in most of the places in the city. It reminds me the symbol of Berlin, in Berlin we also got a bear as the symbol of the city. And the bear even stand direction. It was quite interesting, I wonder if there was any connection between them.
The statue located close to one of the exit of station Sol, so it's quite easy find. I did walk from Gran Vía to this place, it was quite a nice walk actually and check out the city at the same time. Because of its location. It is almost quite alot people around this area. Whether day or night. And from the evening they got a stand here selling stuff, I don't think that's a official thing. The statue isn't huge, but I like it. Just be extra careful if you are visiting the statue at night, it seems messier at night.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Mark B.Portland, OR20411652818Aug 27, 2015
Woot, a bronze statue featuring the symbol of Madrid! (it is found on the cities coat of arms.)OK, maybe the statue it's self isn't that exciting, but I cant think of it without putting myself into Plaza Puerta del Sol. It is located just a short stroll from the place I've stayed the last couple of times I was in Madrid and not much farther from the place I used to stay at.
It's name in English is "Statue of the Bear and Strawberry Tree". It was (according to wiki) placed in 1963 it is by Antonio Navarro Santafé. It was commissioned by the City of Madrid's Culture Department that wanted to make a monument to represent the seal of the city.Helpful 13Thanks 0Love this 13Oh no 0 - Emily S.Los Angeles, CA182422794804Jul 22, 2014
Free landmark to see in Barcelona.
What more do you want. :) It's easy to get to, and it's just a small landmark that's out in the open. It's cute. And there's lots of people taking pictures of it.
I wouldn't go out of the way to see it, but lucky for me it was nearby to the hotel we were staying at.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Qype User (filimb…)London, United Kingdom44300121Jul 30, 2008
This is the bear and the strawberry tree, you meet people here. 'We'll meet at the bear' you say and everyone knows you mean the bear statue in Sol. There are some fantastic buskers round here, in fact all the buskers in Madrid were great, but a trio really stood out. One plays bass, and the other two harmonise on large ancient zithers struck with what can only be described as padded back scratchers, but their arms move at about a thousand miles an hour in perfect unison, and the music produced sounds like you've been transported into some mad 60s spy movie.
The main shopping streets lead off Sol, and the main prostitution streets, and don't get the two confused. Loads and loads of prostitutes everywhere you go in Madrid, some quite aggressive. But apparently it's much better than it used to be (!) El Corte Ingles, the huge department store, is a good place to shop, but not as cheap as Dia. Don't drink in the bars round Sol either, they're all too touristy and expensive. Do like the Spaniards, buy your booze in a supermercado then mix it in your hotel room. Drinking outside was ercently banned but you wouldn't know it walking round Plaza Santa Anna after midnight.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0