Atlas Obscura
Puerta de los Osos in Madrid, Spain
For centuries, bears have been intertwined with the identity of Madrid. The city’s coat of arms famously depicts a bear reaching up toward a strawberry tree, an image that appears on everything from official seals to souvenirs. Historians debate the exact origins of the symbol, but it likely reflects a time when forests and wildlife surrounded the medieval settlement. Today, the bear remains Ma…
Gate with red-brick pillars and wrought-iron gates.