Visitors to Ronda are often confused as to why our central plaza Socorro features a statue of a semi-naked man with two lions by his side and a couple of pillars behind him. What is their significance? (Plaza del Socorro and Blas Infante was remodeled in 2019 with a new fountain and the statue of Hercules moved closer to the old Casino on the same Plaza.)
The answer lies in Andalusian nationalism and one of the most important events in recent Andalusian political history. The Assembly of Ronda in 1918. This was when the father of Andalusian nationalism, Blas Infante, unfurled the flag and symbols of Andalusia whilst standing on the first floor balcony of the ‘Circulo de Artistas‘. The building directly behind the fountain with red CA lettering above the windows.
Blas Infante was a Spanish politician and writer who is considered the “Father of Andalusia.” He was a leading figure in the Andalusian nationalist movement and advocated for autonomy for the region of Andalusia. He was also a cultural activist, promoting the study and preservation of Andalusian folklore, traditions, and culture. He was executed by Franco’s troops during the Spanish Civil War.
Andalusians are justifiably proud of their history and heritage, and the establishment of a national movement was widely applauded in the early 20th century, eventually leading to Andalusia being recognised as one of Spain’s national communities, and allowing the Andalusian parliament a lot more autonomy than most regions of Spain.
Its Hercules!
Whilst it may not be immediately obvious, the statue by the fountain is Hercules, with the pillars of Hercules behind him. He is holding onto two lions that he aims to tame (though taming two lions was never one of the tasks set for Hercules.) Blas Infante designed the coat of arms, flag, and symbols of Andalusia, so it is probable the lions have another significance unique to Infante’s ideal of Andalusia.
To fully appreciate the significance of Hercule’s fountain and the history of the plaza, step back a bit and imagine the plaza full of cheering folk looking hopefully up as Blas Infante, a hero in his day presented the symbols to the movers and shakers of early 20th century Andalusia, and joyful Rondeños.
The tajo gorge and bullring connectio to Blas Infante
Take a walk past the bullring to the lookout over the tajo, and there you’ll see a life size statue of Infante himself. Sadly, his success in Andalusia made him a target during the civil war, and when Sevilla fell to Franco’s forces, he and his compatriots were rounded up, driven into the countryside and summarily executed, dealing a terrible blow to Andalusian autonomy.
When Spain regained her democratic foundations in the late 1970s Andalusia missed out on full autonomy until 1.5 million Andalusians took to the streets to demand that the Andalusian nation be treated the same as Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia.
A statue, a fountain, and a balcony in Ronda are still regarded as amongst the most important symbols of Andalusian patrimony.
Plaza Socorro and Blas Infante Photos
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