Almost a year ago, on January 16, 2023, the mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida inaugurated one of the most special statues in the Spanish capital. It is a monument in honor of the dog Paco, a street animal that became an icon of the city in the second half of the 19th century due to its presence in cafes of the time, gatherings and bullfights, places where He went in search of food, cuddles and caresses.
Paco was characterized by his friendliness, his vital attitude and his open and talkative personality. There were many intellectuals who fell in love with the breedless mutt to whom they gave caresses and games during their walks through the city center. Manuel Machado, Azorín, Pío Baroja, etc., countless famous writers, artists and personalities from the upper echelons of our country fell in love with the animal.
In addition to seeking human company in emblematic spaces such as the Fornos café, the dog became one of the greatest followers of the ‘art’ of bullfighting. Every time there was a bullfight, the animal went to the bullring, which was located where the Palacio de los Deportes (currently the Wizink Center) was later built.
The dog, characterized by his intelligence and knowing how to read situations as if they were a human, visited the crowded place every day in search of a pious person who would give him attention and something to put in his mouth.
As fate would have it, Paco died from injuries accidentally caused by a bullfighter. Far from abandoning the dog’s corpse, some residents of the city dissected its body and, later, buried it in an unknown location in El Retiro park.
The idea of ??the sculpture was born within the Nuevo Rastro Association of Madrid and the Association of Merchants of the Barrio de Las Letras, which managed to get the City Council to listen to their initiative and carry it out.
The sculptor of the piece that can be visited at 71 Huertas Street is Rodrigo Romero. The work of art was inaugurated on January 16, taking advantage of the festival of San Antón, patron saint of animals. Since it was announced, the monument has received endless compliments and good words, as it is a little-known ‘city neighbor’, but with a great story behind it.
