Bust of Mauricio Aznar Müller

The Bust of Mauricio Aznar Müller stands in Zaragoza, on the street that bears his name, in the Casablanca neighborhood, right along the banks of the Imperial Canal of Aragon, near a former mill and lock. It is a modest, neighborhood-scale monument dedicated to a local musician and poet who became one of the key figures of Aragonese rock.

Mauricio Aznar Müller (1964–2000) grew up in Casablanca. He fronted the bands Golden Zippers (formed 1982) and, most notably, Más Birras (formed 1984) — a group that achieved huge popularity both within Aragon and beyond, blending rock'n'roll and rockabilly with a distinctive, ironic lyrical style. He died prematurely at age 36, a loss that deeply affected the entire neighborhood.

How to get there?

The monument sits on Calle Mauricio Aznar in the Casablanca district, along the walking route that runs beside the Imperial Canal. It's outside Zaragoza's main tourist core, so the easiest ways to reach it are by city bus or bicycle — a popular cycling and walking path follows the canal and connects onward toward the city center.

What will you see?

A bronze bust sits on a stone pedestal bearing a commemorative plaque that reads: "Mauricio Aznar Müller (1964–2000) Músico y poeta del Barrio de Casablanca. Tus vecinos y amigos. Junio de 2004" ("Musician and poet of the Casablanca neighborhood. Your neighbors and friends. June 2004"). The sculpture was created by the artist known as Iñaki (Ignacio Rodríguez Ruiz), who donated the piece to the city and personally covered all production costs. Its most distinctive feature is that the bust has no eyes — the hollow sockets are meant to evoke the emptiness left by a sudden loss and the drama of the artist's untimely death. It is the only work of this kind in the sculptor's body of work.

The bust was unveiled on June 24, 2004, during the annual Casablanca neighborhood festival, at the initiative of the local residents' association, which wanted to honor its most notable neighbor.

It's worth knowing that in 2024, to coincide with the release of Javier Macipe's film "La Estrella Azul" — a dramatized documentary about the musician — Zaragoza also unveiled a separate, larger sculpture by Joaquín Macipe and Daniel Elena, depicting Aznar life-size, with a guitar over his shoulder, pushing a bicycle. That is a distinct artwork from the 2004 bust described here, and its unveiling shows how much the city's memory of the musician endures.

When to visit?

The site can be visited year-round, as it's an outdoor monument with unrestricted access. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons for a walk here, since the canal-side path invites longer strolls without the heat typical of an Aragonese summer. June, the month of the bust's original unveiling, coincides with the Casablanca neighborhood festivities — worth checking the local events calendar if you're curious about this part of the city's community life.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mauricio Aznar? An Aragonese musician and poet, frontman of the bands Golden Zippers and Más Birras, and one of the key figures of the local rock scene in the 1980s and 1990s. He died in 2000 at age 36.

Who created the bust? The sculptor known as Iñaki (Ignacio Rodríguez Ruiz), who financed and donated the work to the city himself.

Why doesn't the bust have eyes? It's a deliberate artistic choice — the empty eye sockets symbolize the void left by the musician's sudden death and the drama of his premature passing.

Is this the only monument to Mauricio Aznar in Zaragoza? No — in 2024, to mark the premiere of the film "La Estrella Azul," a separate, larger life-size sculpture by Joaquín Macipe and Daniel Elena was also unveiled in the city.