Triumph of San Rafael

In the cities and towns of Córdoba, San Rafael is not just an archangel; he is the eternal custodian of public health. This monument in Villafranca is a stone testament to the fears and hopes of a bygone era.

We travel back to the 18th century, a time marked by religious fervor but also by the scourge of frequent epidemics that decimated the population. In this context of uncertainty, the lords of the town decided to raise a spiritual shield: a Triumph to San Rafael. However, this act of faith held a very human detail. Although the monument was public, the nobles who defrayed the costs decided to orient the sacred image… towards their own houses.

Thus, the original sculpture looked directly towards the current Calle Canalejas, where its patrons resided, guaranteeing them (or so they hoped) “priority protection” against disease. It is a curious mix of community devotion and private life insurance.

What we contemplate today is not the original carving, which succumbed to the deterioration of centuries, but a later image installed on a slender column-pedestal. This elevation seeks, in addition to monumentality, to protect the figure from possible damage, ensuring that the Custodian continues to watch over Villafranca from above.