Puerta de Alcalá
The Puerta de Alcalá ( " Alcalá Gate " ) is a monument in Madrid ( Spain ), which is in the center of the Plaza de la Independencia ( " Independence Square " ) is located. In the immediate vicinity is the entrance to the Retiro Park. The course crosses the Calle de Alcalá in east-west direction, and start there also the streets Alfonso XII, Serrano and Olózaga. The name of the Puerta de Alcalá is because once housed the city limits here and the road began in the direction of Alcalá de Henares.
Architecture
The Puerta de Alcalá was founded by King Charles III. commissioned to replace a former archway with two turrets, which previously was located at the same place, but was in ruinous condition. The builder of the monument was Francesco Sabatini, but also the plans of Ventura Rodríguez presented based. The approximately 44 meters wide and 22 meters high gate construction was planned in 1769; work began the following year and the inauguration took place in 1778. On both sides of the Puerta de Alcalá, there was a fence, which at that time protected the city against invaders and to the year 1869 had stock. This year also saw the Plaza de la Independencia, was designed in its present form.
The bow has five wall openings ( three sheets to wagons and two pedestrian gates ) in which previously stood each grid (the actual goals), which were closed every day at evening time. In the middle of the attic there is a stone with the following Latin inscription: Charles III. Year 1778.
Material
The building material for the gate comes from quarries in the area - which consists of Granite basis of Colmenar Viejo, Alpedrete and Hoyo de Manzanares, which formed from limestone jewelry items from Colmenar de Oreja.
Others
- Towards the end of Trienio Liberal in 1823, the Puerta de Alcalá a hail cannon was exposed, the bullet holes can still be seen today.
- Because the monument was crossing Calle de Alcalá over many decades a Viehtrift, attracted many older shepherds and their flocks hiking through the Puerta de Alcalá.