Rafael Casanova - Barcelona, Spain
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 23.447 E 002° 10.650
31T E 431236 N 4582465
A statue of the last Counselor in Chief of Barcelona and head of the urban militia is located where he fell wounded at the corner of Ronda de Sant Pere and Carrer Alí Bey in Barcelona, Spain.
Waymark Code: WMV9HN
Location: Cataluña, Spain
Date Posted: 03/19/2017
Views: 3
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.
A 7.58 x 2.72 x 2.72 meter monument featuring a life size bronze statue of Rafael Casanova depicts the militia leader in militia uniform. He is standing with his right arm wrapped around a large flag. His left hand is holding a sword, at a 30 degree angle to vertical and with the tip touching the ground by his right leg. he is wearing an elaborate cloak over a tunic with a ruffled collar. He is looking up and to his right in apparent pain. The base has a relief sculpture of two women, one of them standing and putting her right hand on a semi-nude half-seated woman who appears to be sleeping. The sculpture is an allegory for the awakening the spirit of Catalonia.
The sculpture was created by Rossend Nobas, the relief was sculpted by Josep Llimona, and the base was sculpted by Alexandre Soler i March. The monument was originally erected on September 11, 1916, removed during the Franco Regime, and re-erected on 11 September 11, 1977.
The back of the base is An inscribed:
AQUÍ CAIGUÉ FERIT
EL CONSELLER EN
CAP EN RAFAEL DE
CASANOVA DEFENÇANT
LES LLIBERTATS
DE CATALUNYA
11 DE SETEMBRE DE 1714
Translation: THE COUNSELLOR IN CHIEF RAFAEL DE CASANOVA FELL WOUNDED HERE DEFENDING THE FREEDOM OF CATALONIA 11 SEPTEMBER 1714
A granite plaque at the base of the monument is inscribed:
RAFAEL CASANOVA
(MOIÀ, 1660? - SANT BOI DEL LLOBREGAT, 1743)
RAFAEL CASANOVA I COMES, NASCUT A LA VILA DE MOIÀ
(QUE ERA DE LA JURISDICCIÓ DE BARCELONA, D'ON ERA "CARRER")
I QUE ESTUDIÀ I EXERCÍ D'ADVOCAT A BARCELONA
FOU EL DARRER CONSELLER EN CAP DE LA CIUTAT (1713 - 1714)
AL FRONT DE LA MILÍCIA URBANA, ENCAPÇALÀ LA RESISTÈNCIA
DE BARCELONA CONTRA LES TROPES DE FELIP V.
FERIT EN L'ASSALT FINAL, CASANOVA HAGUÉ D'ACCEPTAR
LA CAPITULACIÓ DE LA CIUTAT L'11 DE SETEMBRE DE 1714.
LA VICTÒRIA DE FELIP V SIGNIFICÀ LA SUPRESSIÓ
DEL CONSELL DE CENT I DE LES CONSTITUCIONS CATALANES.
CASANOVA MORÍ A SANT BOI DE LLOBREGAT EL 1743.
Translation of plaque with biography of Rafael Casanova:
RAFAEL CASANOVA (BORN 1660? - DIED SANT BOI DEL LLOBREGAT, 1743)
RAFAEL CASANOVA I COMES, BORN IN THE TOWN OF MOIÀ
(WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF BARCELONA, WHERE IT WAS A "CARRER")
AND WHO STUDIED AND PRACTISED LAW IN BARCELONA
WAS THE LAST COUNSELLOR IN CHIEF OF THE CITY (1713 - 1714)
AT THE HEAD OF THE URBAN MILITIA, HE LED THE RESISTANCE
OF BARCELONA AGAINST THE TROOPS OF PHILIP V.
WOUNDED IN THE FINAL ATTACK, CASANOVA WAS FORCED TO ACCEPT
THE CAPITULATION OF THE CITY ON 11 SEPTEMBER 1714.
THE VICTORY OF PHILIP V BROUGHT THE SUPPRESSION
OF THE “CONSELL DE CENT” AND OF THE CATALAN CONSTITUTION.
CASANOVA DIED IN SANT BOI DE LLOBREGAT IN 1743.