Although the landscapes of the Madrid mountains bear little resemblance to those seen in Hokusai’s prints, there is a town of 93 inhabitants twinned with Osaka, the third most populous city in Japan. The link that unites two points on the map so different from each other is an artist: Federico Eguía.
Eguía was born in Puebla de la Sierra, one of the Madrid towns furthest from the capital and with the lowest population density (1.44 people per square meter). The multifaceted artist has taken his paintings and sculptures to exhibitions in America, Asia and Europe to become an important cultural ambassador.
After taking his work to 50 cities around the world, he decided to return to his village to materialize an illusion: to create a sculpture park where neighbors and visitors to the area could enjoy contemporary art among mountains and forests. Thus, a romantic idea that had been living in his head for years became the Valley of Dreams: a 1.3-kilometer route with more than 100 works of art created by 63 French, Brazilian, Spanish and other artists.
The most famous works of this curious route in the middle of nature are the Minotaur (2008), by sculptor Jorge Egea, and the Giant Chair of Meira (2010), created by Xulio Lago and Roberto Brañas.
The Valley includes a museum where Japanese painting shines. The space is the result of the cultural link between Puebla and Osaka, which arose thanks to the collaboration of Reijinsha -a renowned Japanese artistic association- with Eguía’s project.
As isolated as it is magical: that’s Puebla de la Sierra
Puebla de la Sierra is one of the most special municipalities of the Sierra del Rincón, an ideal environment to discover in spring. Here, oaks, pines and rockroses give life to a landscape in which traditional architecture and that wonderful tranquility that does not fit in the capital stand out.
Puebla, surrounded by hills that form a feminine silhouette (that is why the town was called Puebla de la Mujer Muerta for centuries. The name was changed for obvious reasons), is the ideal starting point for a hiking route to the Peña de la Cabra, one of the most spectacular vantage points in the region.