The Monument to the Constitution of 1812 is a

monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

Cádiz Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia. Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

that commemorates the centennial of the signing of the

Constitution of 1812 The Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy ( es, link=no, Constitución Política de la Monarquía Española), also known as the Constitution of Cádiz ( es, link=no, Constitución de Cádiz) and as ''La Pepa'', was the first Constituti ...

. The monument, commissioned in 1912 and completed in 1929, is located in the centre of the Plaza de España in Cádiz.

History

The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was briefly in effect between 1812 and 1814, and again between 1820 and 1823. Though limited in longevity, the Constitution of 1812 had a significant impact on burgeoning nationalism and liberalism not only in Spain but throughout Western Europe and the Americas. The constitution was drafted by the

Cortes of Cádiz The Cortes of Cádiz was a revival of the traditional ''cortes'' (Spanish parliament), which as an institution had not functioned for many years, but it met as a single body, rather than divided into estates as with previous ones. The General ...

at a time when Cádiz was one of the few free Spanish cities during the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

. The monument, designed by Modesto López Otero and sculpted by Aniceto Marinas, was commissioned by the Spanish government in 1912 to celebrate the centennial of the Constitution of 1812 as well as the Cortes of Cádiz. The monument was completed in 1929. The lower level of the monument represents a chamber and an empty presidential armchair. The upper level has various inscriptions surmounting the chamber. On each side are bronze figures representing peace and war. In the centre, a pilaster rises to symbolize, in allegorical terms, the principles expressed in the 1812 constitution. At the foot of this pilaster, there is a female figure representing Spain and to either side, sculptural groupings representing agriculture and citizenship.Universidad de Cádiz: El Monumento a las Cortes de Cádiz.

Similar monuments

Many other monuments to the Constitution of 1812 were erected through the Spanish-speaking world but were destroyed through subsequent regime changes. Some remaining monuments include: * Plaza de la Constitución,

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

; * Constitution Square, Montevideo,

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

; *Monument to the Constitution of 1812, Comayagua, Honduras; and *Constitution of 1812 Monument, St. Augustine, Florida, United States.

References

{{reflist Monuments and memorials in Andalusia Buildings and structures in Cádiz