The beautiful coastal enclave of Melilla.

 

I snapped the very arresting monument captured in these two photos within the Historic Old Town of Melilla la Vieja; an autonomous Spanish city bordering Morocco on the North Coast of Africa, and one of just two Spanish enclaves sited on the African mainland; the other is Ceuta.

As you would expect, Melilla has a huge history: a Spanish enclave, freeport and military base, it has stood at the crossroads of mainly European and African and Middle East cultures for thousands of years. Of 7^th Century Phoenician origin, it later became a Roman colony and achieved a golden age of prosperity as a fortified port under Arabian rule. Its strategic geography cemented its position as a key military and commercial outpost. It was captured by Spain in 1497 and has remained under Spanish rule ever since.

With a population, today, of some 86,000 souls it has become popular as a beautiful and very dynamic travel destination. Not only does it benefit from its warm climate and its proximity to the coast, but it also harbours some of the finest modern architecture to be found outside of Barcelona – the legacy of feted Spanish architect, Enrique Nieto, who learned his craft under the tutelage of the Grand Master, Guadi, himself famous throughout the world for his inspirational, modernist works, which so beautifully blend architecture and art.

I digress, though; back to the pictures:

This grand monument – the work of sculptor Vincent Cayuela – was installed in The Heroes Plaza on Jaun Carlos Avenue in 1941. It’s themes of soldier and attendant Lion suggest National Power with a large nod to the Spanish Civil War and the Nationalist uprising of 1936.

Like most historical statuary, context is a required tool in understanding why they were commissioned. There is much controversy over Cayuela’s rendition: some criticise it – saying it glorifies the violence associated with Franco’s brutal Nationalist rise to power - while others interpret the piece kindlier, ascribing it as a fitting monument to those who fell for Spain. I prefer the latter interpretation.

For real context, you should read George Orwell’s, “Homage to Catalonia” – an excellent read from a man who fought in that conflict against the forces of National Socialism.