It's TRUE! I witnessed it just this morning. Madrid's city symbol, "El Oso y el Madroño" statue (The Bear & the Berry Tree), was removed today where Calle del Carmen meets the Puerta del Sol after 25 years in that location.

For now, the statue is "on vacation" until Friday when it will be "re-planted" in its new location. I'm writing a blog entry about it now and will include its link here in the next couple of hours - AS WELL AS PHOTOS!

Saludos, MadridMan

Cool!
I was wondering when this was going to happen.

Look forward to the pic's.

It's too late to write the blog entry now but will - FOR SURE - do it tomorrow/Wednesday. I got caught up with work and emails.

Also, VERY SOON, they're replacing the 50-something-year-old plaque of Kilometro 0 with a "replica".

Saludos, MadridMan

Today's the day! It's Friday and the "Oso y el Madroño" statue is being re-inaugurated TODAY!! And I'll be there!

I'm watching TeleMadrid this morning to find out the hour at which I need to be there to see it. Later today, HOPEFULLY, I'll combine this information (and photos!) with the experience of last Tuesday and post a blog entry about it all.

Saludos, MadridMan

WELL, CRAP!! It's happening RIGHT NOW! No warning was given, no hour, no fanfare or inauguration, the crane is lowering it to its pedestal right now on TeleMadrid as I type this.

So the location of "below the Tío Pepe sign" isn't correct either, apparently. I see the Oso y el Madroño statue is being put down where Calle de Alcalá meets Puerta del Sol, just below the building housing the Hostal Puerta del Sol.

Let's see if I can shower, shave, and get downtown NOW for the "attachment" of the statue. Ugh!

Saludos, MadridMan

And the statue "la mariblanca" opposite, nice the puerta de el sol, there represents venus Roman goddess, who in madrid is called "la mariblanca"

So the Oso y el Madroño statue is in its place on the PUERTA DEL SOL, NEAR where the Calle de Alcalá meets SOL and passes in front of the Tío Pepe sign. (not sure why they have traffic passing through there, though) RTVE interviewed (audio only) me about the statue, asking me what I thought about its new location. I said something like, "Well, I don't really see the point. At least 'over there' is pedestrian. Here, we have buses and taxis passing just behind us and I can imagine problems with tourists having their photos taken below the statue while those TAKING the photos are backing up into the street.

I too waited around for the placement of the "Mariblanca" replica but got impatient after 20 minutes waiting. It was right there next to its pilar, still wrapped up and on the back of the truck awaiting.... something. I'll go back someday and take more photos of it.

Saludos, MadridMan - writing blog entry now...

See the Madrid Blog entry with photos about today's re-location of Madrid's El Oso y el Madroño statue in the Puerta del Sol.

Still quite a bit of finishing-up to be done in the Puerta del Sol but I can see they're close.

Saludos, MadridMan

Watch my Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 video of the Oso y el Madroño up on the crane:



Saludos, MadridMan

Ahhh marvelous shot, thanks for sharing it. I guess it will be more visible there, a nice landmark of Madrid or as Madrid as anything else.
something to plan go back to Madrid for. ALthough for me needs to wait go on business trip for a few months to Africa.