Back then, this fountain was at the heart of Madrid de los Austrias. Picture a stately octagonal basin, eight stone panels for its sides, each proudly displaying royal and civic coats of arms, as if vying for your attention. At the very center, on a pedestal, stood Orpheus himself-sculpted from creamy marble, lyre in hand, with his loyal dog by his side. Locals claimed the statue was the work of Rutilio Gaci, though some liked to joke that Orpheus looked a bit too comfortable in front of the old royal jail. In fact, a famous quip from the period pokes fun at this-just imagine someone whispering: “Is Orpheus serenading the prisoners, or just trying to charm his way out?” Perhaps that’s why it also became known as the “Fountain of the Dog”! Even the famous playwright Tirso de Molina couldn’t resist sliding a few lines about it into his poetry.
The fountain bubbled with fresh water from three ancient sources and boasted several elegant bronze spouts. It was more than just a pretty landmark; thirsty aguadores-Madrid’s old water carriers-lined up here, buckets in hand, to fetch water for the city.
But time, as we know, is no friend to marble. By the late 19th century, the fountain was aging, and in 1869, it was dismantled. The original Orpheus found a new home in the Archaeological Museum, leaving this plaza a little quieter.
Yet, as you see before you, Orpheus made a comeback! In 1998, a replica rose again to crown a new fountain built from fragments of Madrid’s 19th-century waterworks. So, if you listen carefully, you might just catch Orpheus strumming his lyre once again-though these days, even he might be humming a tune about getting lost and found in Madrid.
Ready to follow Orpheus on to the next piece of Sol’s story? Let’s keep walking!
