One of the main attractions of Emperor Carlos V Square is the artichoke-shaped fountain - the Spaniards' favorite vegetable. However, the fountain you see today is only a copy of its famous stone prototype. The Artichoke Fountain, created by Ventura Rodriguez, stood in this square until 1880. However, after the reconstruction it was decided to move it to a more suitable location, and today you can find the original of this sculpture in Buen Retiro Park.
The Artichoke Fountain is the embodiment of spring. The sculpture can conventionally be divided into two parts: the lower one - with statues of tritons holding the coat of arms of Madrid, and the upper one - with figures of children supporting a dish with an artichoke.
In addition, Emperor Carlos V Square is home to Atocha Station and the luxurious building of the Ministry of Agriculture of Spain. It is easy to recognize by the winged pegasi on the roof of the building. This building was erected in 1897 based on a design by Ricardo Velazquez Bosco.
Atocha Station appeared in Madrid somewhat earlier - in 1851, but it acquired its current appearance 40 years later, thanks to Alberto Palacio and the famous Gustave Eiffel. Today this place is especially remarkable because after the 1992 reconstruction, a real tropical garden appeared under the station's huge glass dome on the site of the railway tracks!
