Rafael Casanova was the Councillor in Chief of Barcelona during the war of the Spanish succession. He is a Catalan national hero and was wounded defending the city when it fell to Bourbon troops on September 11th 1714.
Catalan politicians and public figures lay floral tributes in front of the statute as part of the anual Diada de Catalunya (National day of Catalonia) commemorations.
The larger than life-size bronze statue by artist Rossend Nobas was commissioned in 1886. The statue shows a defiant Casanova with a pained expression just after being shot. In one hand he holds his sword, in the other the pendant of Saint Eulalia.
The carved stone plinth supporting the statue is the work of Josep Llimona and was added in 1914 when the statue was transferred to its current location on Ronda de Sant Pere. The location is said to coincide with where Casanova was shot.
About the artist
Rossend Nobas was born in Barcelona in 1838 and was best known for religious and funerary statues. He studied in the famous Escola de la Llotja. His most famous works include La Dolorosa (statue of the suffering Virgen Mary), Torero Moribundo (dying bull fighter) and La Aurora (part of the fountain in the Ciutadella park).
Location
The statue is at the junction of Carrer d’ Ali Bei and Ronda de Sant Pere in Barcelona’s Eixample district.
How to get there
The nearest metro stops are Urquinaona (L1 & L4) and Arc de Triomf (L1)
Other attractions nearby
The Arc de Triomf
The Pau Claris monument
Boy with water bottles fountain
Ciutadella Park
Palau de la Musica
Map
Ronda de Sant Pere, Barcelona, Spain
