Plaza Canovas del Castillo (Canovas del Castillo Square)
A grand roundabout at the southern end of the Paseo del Prado anchored by the Neptune Fountain, a key meeting point between the Prado, Thyssen, and Reina Sofía museums.
You stand now at Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, more commonly recognized by the magnificent centerpiece commanding your gaze: the Fountain of Neptune. This isn't merely a roundabout; it's a vibrant crossroads where history, art, and the pulse of contemporary Madrid converge, a stunning example of 18th-century urban planning. Allow your eyes to follow the dynamic figures of this stunning neoclassical fountain, a masterpiece conceived by Ventura Rodríguez and sculpted by Juan Pascual de Mena, completed between 1780 and 1784. At its apex, Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, brandishes his trident on a shell-shaped chariot pulled by two majestic hippocampi. Tritons and Nereids writhe amidst cascading waters, capturing the ocean's raw power. Like its sister Cibeles further north, this fountain was part of King Charles III's ambitious Salón del Prado project, transforming an unkempt meadow into a distinguished public promenade. The choice of Neptune here, on a landlocked plateau, reflects the Bourbon kings' fascination with classical mythology and their ambition for a cosmopolitan Madrid. Look around you, and you'll immediately grasp the immense cultural significance of this spot. You are at the epicenter of Madrid's "Golden Triangle of Art.