Podcast Summary: "Acontece que no es poco | El ajetreo de las estatuas de Palacio"
Podcast: Todo Concostrina
Host: SER Podcast (Nieves Concostrina & Carla)
Date: April 17, 2024
Overview
In this episode, Nieves Concostrina brings her signature witty, irreverent take to an odd and emblematic episode in Spanish royal history: the scandalous proliferation, reshuffling, and fate of the infamous statues at the Palacio Real in Madrid. With humor and historical skepticism, Concostrina unpacks how and why over a hundred statues of supposed Spanish monarchs (and some random extras!) came to decorate — and then were hastily removed from — the palace, revealing as much about royal vanity and incompetence as about Spanish history itself.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Boccherini and Madrid’s Soundtrack
- The episode opens with a nod to Boccherini, whose works are forever linked to the image of 18th-century Madrid — and to the podcast’s own musical theme.
- Quote (Nieves, 00:42): “Es que Boccherini puso la banda sonora a Madrid en aquel siglo XVIII. Era una maravilla.”
Spotlight on the Borbón Dynasty’s Quirks
- Nieves sets the tone by declaring this another tale about the Borbón (Bourbon) royals — specifically, the first two "Pertur" (her nickname for the eccentric early Borbons), Felipe V and Fernando VI.
- Quote (Nieves, 01:34): “Además quiero dejar claro que cuando yo llamo a los primeros Borbones... los Pertur, es por algo, no es gratuito.”
The Backstory: Fire and (Re)construction
- The old Alcázar palace burned down in 1734, an event Nieves notes benefited Felipe V, who wanted a more modern palace ("le vino de lujo").
- Valuable art (Las Meninas included) barely escaped, while much was lost.
- The new Palacio Real, intended as a more ‘fitting’ seat for the French-imported Borbón monarchy, was built to be grand, visible, and the center of attention — in contrast to the Austrias’ preference for discretion and seclusion.
- Quote (Nieves, 05:49): “Los alcázares de los Austrias estaban pensados... para ocultar la presencia del rey... Los palacios de los Borbones... para que el rey fuera el centro del universo palaciego.”
The Statue Mania: Origins and Absurdity
- Fernando VI (the second "Pertur") embarked on a monumental exercise in historical kitsch: decorating the palace with 108 statues, most of supposed Spanish kings.
- A friar named Martín Sarmiento, considered an "ilustrado", is credited (blamed) for suggesting they count kings from Ataulfo (a Visigoth) onwards.
- Nieves points out the historical nonsense, invention, and randomness in the list: goths, mythical figures, regional monarchs, and invented appearances.
- Quote (Nieves, 07:12): “Y a partir de ahí se pusieron a esculpir estatuas a lo loco... un pastiche en donde se juntaba un godo con el tal Pelayo asturiano... una payasada histórica de principio a fin.”
Carlos III: The Sensible One
- Carlos III, upon inheriting the nearly-finished palace, was horrified at the weight and number of statues. Ordered almost all of them down to prevent collapse, leaving only four.
- The four left? Roman "emperors of Spain" — a tongue-in-cheek nod by Nieves to the invented grandeur.
- Two particularly absurd choices: Moctezuma and Atahualpa (Aztec and Inca emperors, neither Spanish), incorporated as “emperadores de España.”
- Quote (Nieves, 09:04): “En la fachada estaba Moctezuma y Atahualpa. Con un par los pusieron,... Pero es que encima los colocaron en la entrada principal del Palacio Real.”
- Nieves debunks the supposed justification that this inclusion showed respect for pre-Columbian peoples, calling it a crude historical twist.
The Fate of the Statues: Scattered Legacy
- Most statues were removed and redistributed:
- Some returned to palace facades after restoration in the 1970s (including Moctezuma and Atahualpa, facing the Almudena cathedral).
- Others are scattered in the Jardines de Sabatini, Plaza de Oriente, El Retiro (Paseo de las Estatuas), Museo del Ejército, Burgos (Paseo del Espolón), Vitoria-Gasteiz (Parque de la Florida), etc.
- “En los jardines que hay entre el Teatro Real y el Palacio, en lo que es la propia Plaza de oriente, hay otras 20 estatuas. En el Retiro hay... Paseo de las estatuas... esas fueron también material sobrante de Palacio.” (Nieves, 12:55)
- Some statues even represent kings who didn’t exist, or are duplicates.
- Notably, she points out that none of the Islamic monarchs from the 800 years of al-Andalus made the cut.
Commentary on Royal Eccentricity and Historical Fabrication
- Nieves lampoons both the expenditure and the inventiveness (or ignorance) of the Borbón monarchs and their advisors.
- Quote (Nieves, 10:59): “Pues esta frase se ajusta a los dos primeros Borbones Pertur. Y la podría decir perfectamente. Felipe V de su hijo Fernando VI, que fue el despilfarrador, el tonto al que le colaron las 108 estatuas.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Una pasta en estatuas, una pasta, por supuesto, inventándose caras, ropajes, años y un pastiche en donde se juntaba un godo con el tal Pelayo asturiano... una payasada histórica de principio a fin.” (Nieves, 07:12)
- “Lo mismo las colocaron donde están con intención, porque están en la fachada que da a la plaza de la Armería, frente a la catedral de la Almudena. Está muy bien. Dos emperadores precolombinos... mirando a la Almudena. En fin.” (Nieves, 11:30)
- “Pero ellos no se saltaron 800 años. En total subieron casi 30 estatuas que están salpicadas ahora por cornisas, las fachadas, los balcones y las esquinas. Y otras ocho las ubicaron en los jardines de Sabatini, que están en un lateral del palacio.” (Nieves, 12:36)
- “Incluso hay algún rey repetido y algún otro que ni siquiera existió. Yo estoy segura que aquí el que hizo el agosto fue al que le encargaron las estatuas.” (Nieves, 13:37)
Timestamps of Key Segments
- 00:22–01:07 – Boccherini, Madrid, and the Borbón setup
- 01:34–06:43 – The burning Alcázar and contrasting palatial philosophies (Austrias vs. Borbones)
- 06:47–09:04 – The origin, logic, and farce of the statue project
- 09:04–10:59 – Moctezuma, Atahualpa, and Carlo III’s cleanup
- 11:20–12:53 – Modern fates of the statues and their scattered locations
- 12:53–14:15 – Oddities in distribution and the legacy of surplus statues
Tone and Style
- The episode is marked by Nieves Concostrina’s trademark irony, skepticism, and humor, punctuated by light banter with Carla.
- She openly pokes fun at historical absurdities and royal follies, with pointed sarcasm toward myth-making and extravagance.
- The storytelling is engaging, accessible, and brings an irreverent, human touch to the telling of national history.
For listeners, this episode is a playful but revealing window into the blend of history and absurdity often found in Spain’s royal past – with statues as both literal and metaphorical reminders of royal excess and creative storytelling.