Madrid City Council offers 2,640 free spots to get an inside look at the restoration work of the Cibeles fountain. The 50-minute tours will start this weekend and will continue until September.
The Cibeles fountain, one of the most emblematic monuments in Madrid, is undergoing a comprehensive restoration that includes cleaning the stone, repairing cracks, and consolidating metal elements. The work, which began weeks ago, will be surrounded by scaffolding for five months, but the City Council wants the people of Madrid to witness this process.
Starting this Thursday, July 23, interested parties can reserve a spot for a free guided tour that takes them through the interior of the scaffolding. Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz explained that the aim is to "bring the people of Madrid closer to a work that usually remains hidden and allow them to discover from a unique perspective one of the city's great symbols."
The program includes 176 tours lasting 50 minutes each, with groups of 15 people, totaling 2,640 free spots. The tours will take place between July and September and will be led by specialists who will reveal the history of the fountain and the details of the intervention.
The restoration, driven by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Urban Landscape, responds to a diagnosis made in 2025 that detected dirt accumulation, cracks and fissures, corrosion in metal elements, and alterations in the stone. The project has a budget of 260,000 euros and aims to prevent further damage over time.
Councillor for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, noted that "a millimetric deviation of the fountain has been found, as well as other minor damages," and that delaying the intervention would have increased future costs. Experts have already begun cleaning stone surfaces, removing inappropriate mortars, and treating joints and fissures.
Additionally, biocidal and water-repellent treatments are being applied, consolidating stone materials and restoring corroded metal elements. Small losses will also be reintegrated, and a final tone will be applied to the whole to restore its original appearance.
The project is supported by L'Oréal Groupe España, which has contributed 370,000 euros to the City Council's monument conservation program, exceeding the total cost of the intervention. The company previously collaborated in the restoration of the Neptune Fountain in 2024 and in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris after the 2019 fire.
For the residents of Madrid, this initiative represents a unique opportunity to closely observe the monumental heritage and the conservation work being carried out. The tours allow access to areas normally closed to the public and observe how restorers restore the splendor of the goddess Cibeles.
Reservations can be made through the municipal website, and it is recommended to do so in advance due to the expected high demand. The City Council reminds that the tours are free and will be conducted with all necessary safety measures.
You may also like
