Augustus memorial

The Statue of Augustus stands in Saragossa (Zaragoza) beside the old Roman city walls, close to the Central Market. This bronze figure of the Roman emperor is a direct, visible reminder that Aragon's capital began its life as a Roman colony nearly two thousand years ago.

Where did this statue come from?

The figure is a bronze replica of the celebrated marble Augustus of Prima Porta, unearthed in 1863 at the villa of the empress Livia near Rome and now held in the Vatican Museums. Its arrival in Saragossa, however, has an unusual backstory: in 1940 the statue was given to the city by the Italian fascist government as a diplomatic gift from Benito Mussolini. The cast was produced at workshops in Sestri Ponente and shipped from Genoa to Barcelona before making its way to Aragon.

The statue has not always stood where it does today. It was first installed on a stone pedestal in the landscaped garden of Plaza de Basilio Paraíso. In 1950 it was relocated to the area around the Roman walls near the Zuda Tower, set within a classical arrangement of columns — the spot where it remains.

Why does Augustus have a monument here specifically?

Emperor Augustus is directly tied to the city's founding. After his victory in the Cantabrian Wars, he reorganized the Roman provinces of the Iberian Peninsula and established a colony named in his own honour: Caesaraugusta. The settlement was built to house veteran soldiers from the legions IV Macedonica, VI Victrix, and X Gemina, who had fought in those campaigns. Over the centuries, the name Caesaraugusta evolved into today's Zaragoza — making the emperor the city's formal founder.

What will you actually see?

The statue depicts Augustus dressed as a military commander, wearing a lorica (cuirass) decorated with allegorical reliefs, a cloak draped from his waist, and the consular insignia held in his left hand. In keeping with the convention for heroes regarded as immortal, he is shown barefoot, following Greek artistic tradition. The monument sits alongside a preserved stretch of the Roman defensive walls, letting visitors connect the city's Roman history directly to physical remains still standing — with the Zuda Tower and the entrance to the Central Market just steps away.

How do you get there and when should you go?

The site sits right in the historic centre of Saragossa, an easy walk from La Seo Cathedral and the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar — just a few minutes on foot from Plaza del Pilar. The location is well served by the city's tram and bus lines running through the centre. Since it's an open-air public monument, it can be visited at any hour, free of charge. The best time to go is as part of a walk along the surviving Roman wall — early morning or late afternoon avoids the midday sun and coincides with the busiest, liveliest hours around the market.

Frequently asked questions

Is this an original Roman artefact? No — it's a modern bronze copy modelled on the first-century marble Augustus of Prima Porta, which is kept in the Vatican Museums.

Who gave the statue to Saragossa, and when? The Italian government under Benito Mussolini presented it to the city as a diplomatic gift in 1940.

Why is the statue placed next to the city walls? Because Augustus founded Saragossa as the Roman colony of Caesaraugusta, and the nearby surviving walls underline that historical connection.

Is there an entrance fee? No, the monument stands in a public open space and can be seen free of charge at any time.