Located in the middle of the Plaça Tetuan, in Barcelona’s Eixample district, the Monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert is a tribute to a man who was mayor of Barcelona at the end of the 19th century. However, it has also come to positively define the square and illustrate the culture in a way that the surrounding community has come to embrace.
Creating a Tribute to “Dr. Robert”
Named after the siege and occupation of the Moroccan city of Tetuán by general Joan Prim and Catalan volunteers, the Plaza de Tetuán is a major square in Barcelona. It is dominated by the 12m high Monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert, but that wasn’t always the case.
Built in 1904, the monument took 6 years to complete and was originally installed in Plaça de la Universitat. However, after the Spanish Civil War, it was dismantled and put into storage. In 1985 the statue was taken out of storage and rebuilt in its current location. The monument pays tribute to Bartomeu Robert, popularly known as Doctor Robert, who was mayor of Barcelona in 1899 and led the revolt against the Spanish government known as the Tancament de Caixes. It was originally paid for by public subscription by the local community who were extremely grateful for the work Dr. Robert had done for the community.
The monument is the obviously highlight of Plaça Tetuan, but there is enough space to provide visitors with a variety of ways to engage with it. A playground is on one corner while there is also plenty of room for sitting or taking a walk which the surrounding community utilizes in countless ways throughout the year.
Additionally, audiences have easy access to the monument itself. It’s easy enough to approach the monument and appreciate the two groups of bronze and stone statues representing the people of Barcelona. A bust of Dr. Robert that is being kissed by a female figure tops the piece.
By using the monument in a space that would otherwise be empty or just a means of pedestrian transit, the Monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert has come to define the Plaça Tetuan in a positive way. Doing so has created a legacy that impacts the community of the present and will continue to do so far into the future.
Community and Identity
Unlike other plazas and squares that have notable monuments within them but haven’t created ways for the audience to engage with them, the Monument to Doctor Bartomeu Robert encourages visitors to engage with it and the surrounding space. That engagement has created a sense of community and identity for the benefit of the Eixample district and for Barcelona as a whole.
