DESCRIPTION

Public space located on Avenida Camino Vecinal in Fuenlabrada de los Montes, dedicated to the town’s beekeeping tradition. The park houses a life-size statue of San Ambrosio, patron saint of beekeepers and candle makers, constituting one of the symbolic landmarks linked to honey production and the municipality’s traditional identity.

HISTORY

Parque de San Ambrosio was conceived as a tribute to the beekeepers of Fuenlabrada de los Montes, a town historically closely linked to honey production and activities related to beekeeping. The dedication of the park to San Ambrosio reflects the consideration of this saint as patron of beekeepers and candle makers. His feast day is celebrated on 7 December, the date on which he was baptised and consecrated Bishop of Milan in the year 374.

HISTORICAL AND ARTISTIC DESCRIPTION

The main element of the park is the sculpture of San Ambrosio, represented life-size. The figure recalls the saint’s symbolic connection with honey and bees, derived from the tradition that attributed great eloquence to his speeches, stating that “his words were as sweet as honey”. Traditional iconography represents San Ambrosio accompanied by bees, which is why his figure became historically associated with the world of beekeeping.
The park also constitutes a representative space of the cultural identity of Fuenlabrada de los Montes, complemented in the municipality by other elements related to the honey-making tradition, such as the monument dedicated to the beekeepers located next to Parque de la Constitución.

RELEVANT FIGURES RELATED TO THE POI

San Ambrosio was born in Trier in the year 340 and was proclaimed Bishop of Milan after the death of Auxencio. He stood out for his skills as an orator and for the quality of his speeches, which is why popular tradition associated him with honey and bees. He is considered the patron saint of beekeepers and candle makers.

MOVABLE HERITAGE

Life-size sculpture of San Ambrosio located inside the park, protected by a glass case.

INTANGIBLE HERITAGE

The park maintains a close relationship with the beekeeping tradition of Fuenlabrada de los Montes, one of the town’s most representative activities. The celebration of San Ambrosio on 7 December constitutes a symbolic reference for the beekeeping sector and for the cultural identity linked to honey production in the municipality.