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Equestrian Statue of Francisco Franco

The equestrian statue of Francisco Franco was a public artwork in Madrid by José Capuz. Cast in bronze in 1956, it appears to have been inspired by Donatello’s equestrian statue of Gattamelata. Intended for the top of the Victory Arch, it was instead placed in San Juan de la Cruz Square, near Nuevos Ministerios, and unveiled on 18 July 1959. Including the pedestal, the monument reached a total height of 7.5 meters. After years as a site of both Francoist pilgrimages and anti-Franco vandalism, the statue was removed in March 2005 and stored in a Ministry of Public Works warehouse.

Equestrian statue of Francisco Franco on a stone pedestal with a flower wreath at the base.
The equestrian statue of Francisco Franco stands on a pedestal with a wreath of flowers at its base.
December 1988 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Equestrian Statue of Francisco Franco on a tall stone pedestal in an urban square with trees, cars, and a crowd nearby.
The Equestrian Statue of Francisco Franco stands on a high pedestal in Madrid, with a large building and a gathered crowd in the background.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Equestrian statue of Francisco Franco on a stone pedestal covered in bright pink paint, with a purple floral wreath hanging on the front.
The Equestrian Statue of Francisco Franco stands in front of a large building, with the pedestal covered in pink paint and a floral wreath hanging from it.
December 1988 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dark bronze equestrian statue of Francisco Franco against a blue sky with scattered clouds.
The equestrian statue of Francisco Franco shown in a low-angle view against the sky.
October 2016 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Stone plinth of the Equestrian Statue of Francisco Franco partly hidden by trees, with a crowd gathered around it.
The stone base of the Equestrian Statue of Francisco Franco is shown partly obscured by trees, with a crowd gathered nearby.
February 1976 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleEquestrian statue of Francisco Franco
TypeEquestrian statue; public art; monument

Iconography and meaning

InspirationApparently inspired by Donatello's equestrian statue of Gattamelata
Depicted personFrancisco Franco
DepictionFrancisco Franco mounted on horseback
Subject roleDictator

Historical context

Reason for not placing it thereFranco refused to allow it to be placed there
Original intended locationThe Arco de la Victoria
Social/political useMeeting place for Francoists every 20 November
Date cast1956

Creator

SculptorJosé Capuz

Materials

MaterialBronze
Pedestal materialStone

Discovery and provenance

Received byMinistry of Housing
Unveiling date18 July 1959
ReplicasTwo replicas were made and sent to Santander and Valencia, respectively, to the Plazas del Generalísimo
Donated byComplutense University of Madrid

Location and ownership

Ownership situationVarious public administrations denied ownership and avoided responsibility for its removal
Original locationBeside Nuevos Ministerios, Madrid, Spain
Former siteNuevos Ministerios district
Transferred toPlaza de San Juan de la Cruz, near the Nuevos Ministerios district, Madrid
Post-removal storage locationMinistry warehouses on Gregorio Benítez Street

Physical characteristics

Total height7.5 m including pedestal
Pedestal height3 m

History and restoration

Vandalism historyFrequently targeted with graffiti by left-wing sympathizers
Removal date17 March 2005, early morning
Removal methodRemoved from its plinth in an operation that lasted several hours
Removed byWorkers from Tragsa, commissioned by the Undersecretariat of the Ministry of Public Works
Removal decision attributed toApparently Minister Magdalena Álvarez
Mayor's reactionMadrid mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón said he was unaware of the ministry's intentions regarding the statue's fate
Public reaction after removalAbout 700 far-right militants, including Blas Piñar, gathered at the empty pedestal the next day, prayed, sang 'Cara al Sol', denounced the Government of Spain, the Popular Party, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and Santiago Carrillo, and tried to vandalize nearby statues of Indalecio Prieto and Largo Caballero
Police responsePolice dispersed the rally
Pedestal removal dateAugust 2006
Pedestal removalThe remaining 3 m stone pedestal was removed, leaving no part of the monument in the square
Legal challengeAn individual and the Fundación Nacional Francisco Franco filed an administrative lawsuit seeking to reverse the removal
Court rulingIn 2009 the Madrid High Court of Justice ruled that the Ministry of Public Works had ignored heritage law, but refused restoration because it would violate the Historical Memory Law

Significance

Press reactionABC published an editorial warning that socialism would be dangerous if it tried to reclaim part of a concession made thirty years earlier; José Utrera Molina wrote against removing statues, saying 'Franco still rides serene and majestic in the air of history'