The Madrid watchman: the story of the most charming and curious resident of Spain (8 photos)
Many cultures believe that touching certain parts of the statues brings good luck, health, or makes wishes come true. People usually rub their noses, toes, or knees. 
Over time, these places become shiny from frequent touching. The tradition combines superstition and a kind of ritual of unity with history. Judging by the shine of a rather piquant part of this sculpture, it is incredibly popular among both Madrid residents and tourists. Who is this mysterious character? 
Among the nearly two thousand sculptures in the Spanish capital are kings, heroes and important people. But the most interesting monuments here are not dedicated to them at all. The main characters are simple bronze Madrid residents, frozen in the most ordinary moments of everyday life. 
"The Curious Neighbor" (El Vecino Curioso) is a work by sculptor Salvador Fernandez Oliva, created in 1999. The bronze middle-aged man leans on the railing and looks down, where fragments of the church of Santa Maria de la Almudena, the first Christian church in Madrid, are preserved under a glass dome. 
Unfortunately, most of the church was destroyed in 1868 when Bailén Street was widened. Now the ruins can only be seen through a protective stained glass window. That's where the neighbor is looking, leaning over with curiosity. 
The statue stands right on the sidewalk, without a pedestal, and its lower part is polished to a shine from frequent touches. Some people touch it out of habit, others for luck. And the neighbor himself has remained at his post for several decades, indulging in a favorite pastime of pensioners all over Spain and beyond - monitoring construction work. 
