A Public Ode to the Military and Political Figure Joan Prim

In the heart of Barcelona, just a hop away from the gates of the Zoo, stands a towering tribute to Joan Prim - a military and political figure born in the town of Reus in the year 1814. The monument, designed by Josep Fontserè i Mestre, was the brainchild of sculptor Lluís Puiggener in 1887. The statue pays homage to Prim, who was a key figure of the Revolution of 1868 and met his end in Madrid in 1870.

However, the original statue suffered a grim fate when it was destroyed on December 20, 1936, by the Joventuts Llibertàries de Gràcia, who used the bronze to make ammunition for the war. Yet, the monument found new life in 1948, when it was replaced by a copy made by Frederic Marès. Marès used an old model to create this version, which featured some modifications such as more defined facial features and a different hairstyle for the horse's mane.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons