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The Brown Bear and the Madroño Tree


Generally speaking, the Brown bear on the bush is one of the most well-known monuments of Madrid.
As I read, it was made in bronze and weighs 20 tons.


But what is its origin?

According to the text, it is known that a brown bear was a common heraldic symbol, but originally, the bear was depicted with all four paws on the ground.

As I read, in 1202, in the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, soldiers from Madrid carried a flag with a bear and seven stars on its back The constellation of Little dipper (US) or little bear (UK) or Ursa Minor (from latin).

Some writers say that in that era, it was easy to see some brown bears around Madrid. However, the current symbol is an bush and a brown bear.

According to the text, in 1222, there was an agreement between the Church and the Crown. The Church kept the land, and the Crown kept the trees (the forest).

Actually, some writers say that it is not a male brown bear but a female brown bear.
There are two reasons.
Firstly, a female bear was a known symbol of hunting.
Secondly, it may have been based on the constellation of Ursa Minor.
Finally, this brown bear doesn't have male sexual organs; on the contrary, it may be a female.

For these reasons, the emblem features a brown bear and a tree. 

But now we know that there is actually, a female brown bear and a bush.


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Comments

  1. Renee Michelle Goertzen19 March 2025 at 11:34

    It was surprising to learn about the little errors that have crept into the symbol of Madrid over time.

    ReplyDelete

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