'The Curious Neighbor'

Madrid has almost 2,000 sculptures, some of which are predictably dedicated to former monarchs, military heroes, and other prominent public figures. Yet some of the more interesting statues are compelling precisely because of how ordinary they are. Look carefully and you'll find life-size depictions or anonymous Madrileños going about their business.

El Vecino Curioso, or "The Curious Neighbor," is a bronze of a middle-aged gentleman created by sculptor Salvador Fernández Oliva in 1999. He appears to be leaning on a railing and looking down at the archeological remains of Santa María de la Almudena, the first church to be built in Madrid. The statue is anchored directly to the sidewalk, without a base.

Unfortunately, only a few remnants of the original church survived after it fell victim to the construction work on Calle de Bailén in 1868. What's left is visible through a protective glass case, into which this curious neighbor peers. The statue's underside is polished from the many times it has been touched. Some say this is out of habit, others think it brings good luck. The statue has spent several decades in the same place, practicing the national sport of pensioners: "watching the works."