The beautiful city of Madrid is full of things to see and do from incredible museums and galleries to great places to eat and from wonderful views to architectural gems. Like all places, in addition to the traditional tourist attractions and things to do, there are little curiosities and oddities to be discovered all over the city. One of these is the “la abuela rockera”, a very special statue in the neighbourhood of Vallecas. Just find a vacation rental in Madrid and come discover this unique memorial for yourself.
“La abuela rockera” depicts a regular Spanish grandmother who became a seriously beloved figure in the 80s rock scene in Madrid. Ángeles Rodríguez Hidalgo was a local of the working class neighbourhood of Vallecas, which also happened to be an area in which heavy metal music was incredibly popular at the time. A conventional Spanish mother of the time who was, sadly, widowed at 41, she worked two jobs and single-handedly raised her five children.
Her life was changed forever when Rodríguez Hidalgo decided to accompany her grandson to a rock concert in her 70s. She liked the experience so much that she became a metal fan herself and then began attending shows regularly. Soon, she was a fixture of the rock scene in Madrid and even started collaborating with radio and TV shows, had a column in Heavy Rock magazine and her image was featured on the cover of Panzer's album “Toca Madera.”
Rodríguez Hidalgo passed away in 1993 and, in 1999, the artist Carmen Jorba created a bronze sculpture of her, recreating the pose and image from the Panzer album. It still stands in Vallecas today and remains as a reminder of this extraordinary grandmother who came to have a very extraordinary hobby. If you're a fan of oddities and unique stories, it is a must-see in Madrid!
Her life was changed forever when Rodríguez Hidalgo decided to accompany her grandson to a rock concert in her 70s. She liked the experience so much that she became a metal fan herself and then began attending shows regularly. Soon, she was a fixture of the rock scene in Madrid and even started collaborating with radio and TV shows, had a column in Heavy Rock magazine and her image was featured on the cover of Panzer's album “Toca Madera.”
Rodríguez Hidalgo passed away in 1993 and, in 1999, the artist Carmen Jorba created a bronze sculpture of her, recreating the pose and image from the Panzer album. It still stands in Vallecas today and remains as a reminder of this extraordinary grandmother who came to have a very extraordinary hobby. If you're a fan of oddities and unique stories, it is a must-see in Madrid!