The relocation of the Triunfo de San Rafael to Plaza del Potro

The Triunfo de San Rafael stands in the Plaza del Potro today, yet its history invites us to investigate a much longer path. Created by the sculptor Michel de Verdiguier, this memorial to the guardian angel of Córdoba did not begin its life in its current home. We can trace its origins back to 1768 when De Verdiguier first requested land for the work.

For over a century, the sculpture remained in the Plaza del Ángel, which is now known as the Plaza de San Ignacio de Loyola. However, by the mid 1800s, the piece was in a lamentable situation. Proposals for its relocation included the old railway station, and the mayor Carlos Ramírez de Arellano even projected situating it in a monumental fountain to be built in the center of the Campo de la Merced.

Finally, in 1924, a definitive decision was reached. Under the direction of Enrique Romero de Torres, the sculpture was moved to the Plaza del Potro. It remains in the square today.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons