A perpetual flame in honor of those lost

The Monument in Memory of the Victims of the COVID-19 Pandemic, designed by Carlos Rubio Carvajal, honors those who died during the 2020 pandemic. Located in the Jerónimos neighborhood of the Retiro district, the sculpture stands at the intersection of Alcalá Street and Prado Walk, in front of the Cybele Palace.

Made of black steel, the monument consists of a circle nearly 2 m in diameter resting on a prism. On the circular piece is the Spanish inscription "Vuestra llama nunca se apagará en nuestro corazón," which translates to "Your flame will never go out in our hearts." The same inscription also appears on a plaque mounted in front of the monument.

From the center of the sculpture, a constant flame burns. While it was originally fueled with propane cylinders, the fuel source was later replaced with gas to keep the flame permanent.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons