Monument to the Heroes of 1809

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Monument to the Heroes of 1809 by Josep Llimona, 1941
Plaça Garriga i Bachs
Barcelona, March 2017

“During the Peninsula War (1807 – 1814) Barcelona was occupied by Napoleon’s army and converted into a military stronghold. On the 12th of May 1809, an estimated 8,000 citizens attempted to overthrow the French troops. The uprising was quickly quashed and the organizers were rounded up and captured. On June 2nd, eighteen conspirators were tried by a military court. Five of the accused were found guilty and executed in front of Barcelona’s Citadel. As the executions took place, three men rang the bells of Barcelona Cathedral hoping to provoke a second revolt. French soldiers blockaded the cathedral where the rebels held out for three days before being taken prisoner and finally executed.” (Monument to the Heroes of 1809, BarcelonaLowDown)