Plaza de Cascorro: The Foundling Hero of the Rastro
Why is it significant?
Find the statue in the middle of the square: a young soldier in a rumpled uniform, a rifle in one hand and a can of petrol in the other. On Sunday mornings he stands up to his knees in a sea of stalls, shoppers and pickpocket warnings, and hardly anyone looks up.
Key Facts
| Place | Plaza de Cascorro: The Foundling Hero of the Rastro |
|---|---|
| Address | Plaza de Cascorro, 28005 Madrid, Spain |
| Geo Coordinates | 40.41060, -3.70730 |
| Part of Walk | Tapas, Tripe and the Sunday Rastro: La Latina & Lavapiés, Madrid's Old Popular Quarters |
| Generated | Generated |
Find the statue in the middle of the square: a young soldier in a rumpled uniform, a rifle in one hand and a can of petrol in the other. On Sunday mornings he stands up to his knees in a sea of stalls, shoppers and pickpocket warnings, and hardly anyone looks up.
His name was Eloy Gonzalo, and his life began in 1868 in Madrid's foundling hospital, where he was left as a baby with a note bearing his name. He grew up without a family, joined the army, and in 1896 found himself in Cuba, in a village called Cascorro, besieged by Cuban independence fighters. The insurgents held a fortified house that was killing the Spanish garrison.
Eloy volunteered to go out alone and set it on fire. He asked for only one thing: to be tied to a rope, so that if he was shot his comrades could drag his body back. He was not shot. The house burned, the siege eased, and the foundling became a national hero. He died of disease in Cuba the following year, a few months before Spain lost the island for good in 1898. The statue, by Aniceto Marinas, was unveiled here in 1902, and the square took the name of a village most Madrileños could never find on a map.
Now, food. This corner is the doorway to El Rastro, the Sunday flea market, and the bars around it have their own Sunday menu. Look for callos a la madrileña, tripe slowly stewed with chorizo, black pudding and paprika until it turns sticky and glorious, a dish Madrileños defend with real passion. And in the cooler months, little bowls of snails in a spicy, smoky broth, eaten with a toothpick and a lot of bread.
Not everyone is brave enough. That is fine... Eloy Gonzalo was brave enough for the whole square. Now face south and follow the street that tumbles steeply downhill from here, the Ribera de Curtidores.