Fuente de San Antón, Neoclassical fountain near école Pías de San Antón, Madrid, Spain.
The Fuente de San Antón is a neoclassical fountain in central Madrid featuring dolphin sculptures as decorative elements. It sits at a central location where Calle Hortaleza runs and is surrounded by modern public spaces with green areas.
The fountain was designed in 1770 by architects Ventura Rodríguez and Francisco Miguel Ximénez de Alanís as part of Madrid's urban development plan. In the early 1900s, the original turtle sculptures were replaced with dolphin figures during renovation work.
This fountain sits beside the San Antón church and connects to the Escuelas Pías school, where children and families pass by regularly. It forms part of the public space where people gather and rest.
The fountain is easily accessible in central Madrid and serves as a good reference point when exploring the area. Visitors can find it near the public square with green spaces, where one can sit down and observe the surroundings.
The dolphin figures were deliberately added in the early 1900s, replacing the original turtles and giving the fountain a new visual identity. This change shows how public monuments adapt their appearance over time while retaining their importance to the city.
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