Sculpture of Saint George in Cáceres: History & Guide

Set against the monumental stone staircase of Plaza de San Jorge, the Sculpture of Saint George depicts the city's patron saint mounted on horseback and spearing a fallen dragon. The bronze monument stands at the physical and visual center of the Ciudad Monumental of Cáceres, serving as a symbolic focal point along the sloping path between the lower Plaza de Santa María and the upper Plaza de San Mateo.

Artistry and Creation of the Monument

The bronze sculpture was crafted in the 1960s by sculptor José Rodríguez, also known as Jesús Rodríguez Aranda, and cast by Eduardo Capa Sacristán. Mounted within a central stone niche, the artwork portrays the dramatic struggle between Saint George and the dragon, capturing dynamic movement in bronze.

The setting for the sculpture is modern relative to the surrounding medieval and Renaissance architecture. Plaza de San Jorge acquired its tiered layout between 1965 and 1966. During this urban redesign, a former public fountain was removed to build the symmetrical imperial double staircase, which was engineered specifically to frame the niche containing the dragon-slayer statue.

The Patron Saint and Historic Symbolism

The statue represents a pivotal moment in the history of Cáceres. King Alfonso IX of León recaptured the city from Muslim rule on Saint George’s Day, April 23, 1229. Following the conquest, Saint George was established as the patron saint of Cáceres, and the historical triumph was celebrated through the Christian allegory of the knight vanquishing the dragon.

This heritage continues through the annual Fiesta de San Jorge, observed each year on April 22 and 23. The festivities include a procession of Moors and Christians that concludes with the theatrical burning of a dragon. The celebration also ties to local folklore regarding the 1229 siege: legend tells of a Moorish governor who cursed his daughter into a golden hen for assisting Christian forces, inspiring an annual midnight search for golden eggs across the Old Town.

The Architectural Setting of Plaza de San Jorge

The sculpture is framed by significant historic architecture within the UNESCO-listed quarter. Directly behind the double staircase rises the Baroque facade of the Iglesia de San Francisco Javier, also known as the Iglesia de la Preciosa Sangre. Designed by Pedro Sánchez Lobato and financed by the prominent local Figueroa family, the Jesuit church was started in 1698 and finished in 1755.

Following the expulsion of the Jesuits by King Charles III in 1767, the church complex served secular and military roles until coming under the care of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in 1899. Today, the deconsecrated church operates as a diocesan monument where visitors can see sacred art—including an 18th-century painting by Paolo de Matteis illustrating the Miracle of the Crab—and access the twin white bell towers for panoramic views. The church crypt houses the Centro de Divulgación de la Semana Santa de Cáceres along with a preserved historic stone cistern.

The square is further bounded by the 15th-to-16th-century Casa de los Becerra, headquarters of the Fundación Mercedes Calles y Carlos Ballestero, the former Jesuit college housing regional arts institutions, and the adjoining Jardín de Doña Cristina de Ulloa. The striking visual contrast between the brilliant whitewashed plaster of the church towers and the rough ochre and grey granite of the surrounding alleys also led Plaza de San Jorge to serve as a filming location representing King's Landing in the television series House of the Dragon.