Bust of Isabella II

The Bust of Isabella II is a modest but historically layered monument standing in the heart of Oviedo, easily reached on a walk through the Asturian capital.

Where exactly does it stand?

The sculpture sits on Calle Ramón y Cajal, one of Oviedo's central streets, close to the routes most visitors take toward the cathedral and the old town. It's a classic example of a low-key commemorative city sculpture: a bronze bust set on a stone pedestal, easy to walk past without noticing, until you get close enough to read who it honors.

Who made it, and when?

The bronze bust was created by sculptor Francisco Pérez del Valle in 1846. It portrays Queen Isabella II of the House of Bourbon, who ruled Spain from 1833 to 1868, shown here at a more mature age than in several other likenesses of her found around the country. The choice of a modest bust rather than a grand equestrian or full-figure statue fits the more restrained way provincial Spanish cities of the 19th century tended to honor a reigning monarch.

Why was it cast in Trubia, of all places?

One of the more unusual details about this piece is where it was cast: the foundry workshop of the Royal Arms Factory of Trubia, a small town near Oviedo best known for producing weapons for the Spanish army. The bust of Isabella II was the first artistic work ever produced at that foundry, which until then had manufactured military equipment exclusively. That mix of arms industry and commemorative sculpture gives the Oviedo bust an unusual local backstory — a reminder that 19th-century industrial plants were sometimes called on for projects well outside their usual line of work.

Are there other busts of the queen in Oviedo?

Yes, and it's worth knowing the difference, since a few related objects are easy to confuse. In 1859, to mark a royal visit to Oviedo, an iron copy of the bust was cast and installed at a different spot in the city than the original on Ramón y Cajal. Separately, another likeness of Isabella II also existed in the area: an iron bust showing the queen as a young woman of about seventeen, cast at the Bertrand workshop in 1857 for the Arms Factory of La Vega. That piece spent years outdoors and deteriorated badly — it even bears a bullet mark from the Spanish Civil War — before being recovered in 2021 by the Defense Delegation of Asturias, which now displays it in its headquarters at Plaza de España while planning a restoration. So the figure of Isabella II turns up in Oviedo in more than one form, and the bust on Ramón y Cajal is only one of them — the oldest and most prominent.

What should visitors know before going?

The monument is free to view at any time, standing in open public space with no access restrictions. It works best as a short stop woven into a walk through central Oviedo, where most of the city's major landmarks sit within a few hundred meters of each other — not a destination in itself, but a worthwhile pause along the way.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Isabella II? Isabella II of the House of Bourbon reigned as Queen of Spain from 1833 to 1868, one of the more contested monarchs of 19th-century Spain, whose rule ended in revolution and exile.

Who created the Oviedo bust? It was designed by sculptor Francisco Pérez del Valle and cast in bronze in 1846 at the foundry of the Royal Arms Factory in Trubia.

Is this the only bust of the queen in the city? No — Oviedo also had an 1859 iron copy of this same bust, plus a separate 1857 bust of a young Isabella II now displayed at the Defense Delegation's headquarters on Plaza de España.

Is there an entrance fee? No, the bust stands in public space on Calle Ramón y Cajal and can be viewed free of charge at any time.