In the center of Plaza de España – Spain’s Square in English – is a tribute to one of the greatest writers in Spanish literature: Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. The author’s likeness sits in the middle overlooking two characters he created in the early 17th century. On the left is Don Quixote and next to him is his partner in fantasy, Sancho Panza. Most of the Cervantes Monument was designed by Rafael Zapatero and sculpted by Lorenzo Valera. The first phase was completed in 1930. Additional fictional characters were added in 1957 by the sculptor’s son, Federico Mendigutia.
