Salt Street Watchmaker

A nameless watchmaker keeps an eye on Madrid’s Calle de la Sal (Salt Street), less than a block from the Plaza Mayor. He’s only sort-of-nameless. People call him the Salt Street Watchmaker.

He’s an automaton, perched on a balcony over an old clock and watch store with a carillon, Antigua Relojeria. He’s a become a favorite character of locals and visitors alike, as people stop underneath him and every half-hour to watch him come to life to work on his timepiece. Sometimes he even moves a little between those times; staying still must be boring even for a mechanical man. The music that plays for him is “Madrid” from a traditional Madrid zarzuela (operetta), with lyrics that literally sing the praises of the city.