The monument we refer to today was erected at the initiative of the Association of Civil Law Professors, chaired by Manuel Albadalejo, and sponsored by the Cultural Foundation of the Official College of Architects of Madrid.
Its author is the sculptor José Luis Parés Parra and it was inaugurated in front of number 4 of the Plaza de Alonso Martínez, on January 18, 1994 with the assistance of the mayor of Madrid, at that time, José María Álvarez del Manzano.

The sculpture is made of bronze on a granite pedestal. Parés is the son and grandson of sculptors. He attended the free classes of the Circle of Fine Arts, as an intern. Entry into the San Fernando School, in 1966 and his work is very prolific, in different materials, such as stone statues that adorn the Cathedral of the Almudena or different bronze statues, like this one by Alonso Martínez..

But who was Alonso Martínez?. For many Madrid residents today it is just a metro station, but Manuel Alonso Martínez, who was born in Burgos on January 1, 1827, was a great politician and jurist, a statesman. In 1841, he moved to Madrid, where he studied Law and Philosophy and Letters. After the Revolution of '54, which opened the so-called Progressive Biennium, Alonso Martínez was elected Deputy for Burgos.

In 1855, at only twenty-eight years old, he was appointed Minister of Development in the Espartero Government. He becomes one of the trusted advisors of the Queen isabel II. Promotes railway concessions, provides resources to the Canal de Lozoya, called by Isabel II, and found the “La Flamenca” Agriculture School, Aranjuez (A brief aside, if you don't know this area of ​​the community of Madrid, we highly recommend it. La Flamenca and Las Infantas are two fantastic areas to ride a bicycle).

It is impossible to summarize his work, suffice it to note that he was governor of Madrid. He participated in the commission that prepared the Constitution of 1876, and we can say that our Civil Code was his work, minister on several occasions, he was also President of the Congress of Deputies. He died in 1891 and his funeral was crowded.

I hope that now when you pass by Alonso Martínez, these lines come to mind and you remember this 19th century statesman.

A abrazo.