Monument als Herois del 1809, War memorial in Gothic Quarter, Barcelona, Spain.
Monument als Herois del 1809 stands against the side facade of the church of Sant Sever in Plaça Garriga i Bachs, facing the Santa Eulàlia portal of Barcelona Cathedral. Its centre is a granite pedestal holding Josep Llimona's bronze group of five condemned men, set in a niche designed by Pere Benavent de Barberà. Above is Vicente Navarro's alabaster relief of two angels in a cloud, and ceramic panels flank the pedestal.
The monument recalls the eight Barcelona residents executed in 1809 for the failed Ascension Conspiracy against the French occupation under General Duhesme. Five were executed on 3 June at the Ciutadella esplanade; three more were condemned to death on 27 June for ringing the cathedral bell as a call to arms during the executions. A monument was first proposed in 1815, and the present work was inaugurated in 1929 without its sculpture, which was installed in 1941.
The five bronze figures represent people from different social classes, with clothing that reflects their rank and station. This shows how resistance to occupation crossed all levels of society.
The memorial sits on a public square that is easily walkable and served by nearby metro and bus stations. It is freely accessible during daytime and can be viewed clearly from the plaza.
Ceramic tiles surrounding the memorial depict the arrival of Napoleonic troops in Barcelona based on historical engravings by Bonaventura Planella. These tiles provide a visual narrative of the occupation that prompted the resistance the monument honors.
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