Fuente del Angel Caido (Fountain of the Fallen Angel), Madrid

This fountain is arguably one of the most captivating in all of Retiro Park, and certainly the most unexpected. Created in the late 19th century, it’s believed to be one of only three sculptures in the world depicting Lucifer. Inspired by verses from John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, the statue captures a dramatic moment of transformation: the angel’s fall from grace.

Sculptor Ricardo Bellver first modeled it in plaster while studying in Rome on a scholarship. Word of the piece eventually reached Spain’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and soon after, King Alfonso XII funded its casting in bronze. The statue made its public debut at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris, where it drew widespread praise. Afterward, the Spanish Crown donated it to the city of Madrid—on the condition that it be given a suitably grand pedestal. And so it was. The fountain was officially unveiled in Retiro Park in 1885, just months after the king’s passing.

The sculpture shows a nude, tormented figure—half angel, half fallen soul—caught mid-descent. He leans against a broken tree trunk, one leg ensnared by a twisting serpent. His face turns upward in a fierce expression that’s difficult to pin down—part agony, part defiance, maybe even a flicker of rage.

The entire monument sits atop an octagonal pedestal, rising from the center of a circular pond. Around its base, eight monstrous heads and other mythic creatures pour water into the basin below. Framed by lush gardens, the fountain feels like something out of a dream—or perhaps, a fevered vision. Either way, it’s unforgettable.