Puerta de Alcalá

Puerta de Alcalá is a neoclassical triumphal arch made of granite featuring 5 arched and intricate sculptures. It was the first of its kind to be built after the fall of the Roman Empire, making it even older than Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate or the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Each side of the gate has a different design. The one looking towards the city centre is crowned by sculptures of war trophies such as flags, weapons, breastplates and helmets, and its three rounded arches are decorated with the head of a lion. The other side, which is the one travellers would first behold when they arrived in the city, is more ornately decorated and is crowned by the royal coat of arms. Along the top of the gate, you’ll find the figures of four children that are an allegory of the cardinal virtues: fortitude, justice, temperance and prudence. (Madrid, Spain)