Thursday, March 28

La Cívica proposes in Badajoz to move the statue of Godoy to the surroundings of the Palace of the same name


Recreation of how the Godoy statue would look in front of the Godoy Palace, on Porrina street. / TODAY

The association has already submitted the request to the City Council for the figure to be placed in this environment, taking advantage of the remodeling of said space

The Civic Association wants Godoy to change places. The group proposes that the statue dedicated to the Prince of Peace and that is currently located in the roundabout located at the intersection of Obispo Street with Juan Carlos I Avenue, be moved to the so-called Godoy Palace, a building that currently houses the School Language Officer of Badajoz and the School of Arts and Crafts.

The association has already submitted the request to the Badajoz City Council, so that the figure is placed in the surroundings of the palace, taking advantage of the remodeling of said space. “Any of the two facades of the building would magnificently welcome the sculpture of the local artist Luis Martínez Giraldo,” they argue.

The citizens group states that on the façade of Calle Porrina, where a typical widening of a “small square” is formed, the statue “would dignify the space, currently poorly organized and, as a rule, occupied by cars.”

On the façade that overlooks the river and the roundabout that houses the sculpture of the Three Poets, Godoy’s work “would add elegance to the small garden space that will soon be enabled,” they say.

According to the Cívica, with the transfer of the sculpture of this illustrious Badajoz to any of the two proposed locations, greater recognition of the character would be achieved, since citizens could approach the feet of the statue and read any text that they wanted to incorporate into the pedestal. “Now it is in the middle of a roundabout where it is impossible to approach,” they indicate.

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In addition, this artistic work would bring decorum to this enclave. “Dignify the space. A sculpture always brings added value to any street, park or square”, they add in a press release.

On the other hand, the Cívica alludes to the rationalization of the sculptures. «It is more coherent to dedicate a memory to an illustrious character in the space that best represents him». In this case, they consider, the Manuel de Godoy statue would be better represented in front of the palace that was granted to him in the 19th century and that bears his name. «Now it is in the middle of a roundabout between San Antón, Juan Carlos I and San Juan de Ribera without being any of them. The roundabout in which the statue is today, whose design with respect to the intersection it manages lacks urban aesthetics, could be modified and even eliminated in a future remodeling for the single platform of that central space, “they state. It should be remembered that the Badajoz City Council wants to reform Juan Carlos I avenue by implementing the single platform, enabling only one lane for each direction and installing trees.

History of the Palace of Godoy

The demolition of the wall that surrounded this building facilitates the view of the facade facing the river, which pedestrians can enjoy. The people of Badajoz have recovered this perspective of the Godoy Palace, a building that was a home for the Caldera family, a hospice and even a prison, but in which the Prince of Peace never lived.

Manuel Godoy Álvarez de Faria Ríos Cáceres Ovando y Sánchez Zarzosa was born in Badajoz on May 12, 1767. He studied at the San Atón Seminary and moved to Madrid when he was only 17 years old. His rise in the court of Charles IV was rapid. The monarch even married him to a cousin of his. He was appointed Secretary of State, Generalissimo and Prince of Peace when he achieved the peace of Basel with the French. At that time he was one of the most powerful men in Spain.

He visited his hometown several times. On those visits, both Carlos IV and Godoy stayed in the birthplace of the latter, on Calle Santa Lucía. The Badajoz City Council gave him the Palace of Godoy, a building built in the 17th century and which had belonged to a prominent family in the city, the Calderas. When it was reassigned to Godoy it was no longer a dwelling. The owners had lent it to be used as a hospice. But the Prince of Peace did not get to premiere it, not even meet her. In 1808 he was overthrown and in that year there are no records of his visits to Badajoz, so he did not get to enjoy his new palace. Of course, his name remained for history.


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