Francisco Maldonado

Francisco Maldonado is a monument in Salamanca honoring one of the leaders of the Comuneros revolt, standing on the Glorieta del Alto Rollo. It commemorates a local nobleman who led a rebellion against Charles V in 1521 and paid for it with his life.

Who was Francisco Maldonado?

Francisco Maldonado was born in Salamanca around 1480. Alongside Juan de Padilla and Juan Bravo, he became one of the leading figures of the Comuneros — a revolt of Castilian cities against the policies of the young King Charles V, who was widely seen as detached from Spanish interests and surrounded by Flemish advisors. Maldonado represented Salamanca, one of the most active cities in the uprising.

The revolt collapsed after the royalist army crushed the Comunero forces at the Battle of Villalar on 23 April 1521. Maldonado was captured there together with Padilla and Bravo. The following day, 24 April 1521, all three were beheaded — an execution meant to serve as a warning to other cities still considering resistance. Maldonado's remains now rest in Salamanca, in the Chapel of San Salvador inside the Old Cathedral, which also holds the mast and banner carried by the rebels at Villalar.

What will you see at the monument?

The monument to the comunero Francisco Maldonado is carved from white Italian marble and depicts him as a full-length figure. It was created by Spanish sculptor Juan Cristóbal González Quesada and unveiled on 23 October 1921, exactly four hundred years after the Battle of Villalar and Maldonado's execution.

The statue hasn't always stood in the same spot. It was first placed elsewhere in the city, then moved in 1953 when the square it originally occupied was redeveloped. In May 2004 it was relocated once more to its current position on the Glorieta del Alto Rollo, where it now faces the Avenida de los Comuneros — a street named after the very movement Maldonado represented.

How to get there?

The Glorieta del Alto Rollo sits close to Salamanca's historic centre and is an easy walk for anyone exploring the old town. The monument fits naturally into a route tracing the city's Comunero history — pair a visit here with a stop at the Old Cathedral, where Maldonado is buried, and the Plaza de los Bandos, where the statue previously stood for decades.

When to visit?

The monument stands outdoors and can be visited year-round, at any hour. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable conditions, with mild temperatures and fewer crowds than in the peak summer months. An evening visit is worth considering too, since the lit-up historic buildings around the square add extra atmosphere to the setting.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Francisco Maldonado? A nobleman from Salamanca and one of the leaders of the Comuneros revolt in Castile, captured after the Battle of Villalar and beheaded on 24 April 1521.

Where does the Maldonado monument stand? On the Glorieta del Alto Rollo in Salamanca, where it was moved in 2004; before that, the statue stood in the Plaza de los Bandos.

Who created the monument? Sculptor Juan Cristóbal González Quesada made the white Italian marble statue, unveiled in 1921.

Where is Francisco Maldonado buried? In the Chapel of San Salvador inside Salamanca's Old Cathedral, which also houses the banner and mast the Comuneros carried at the Battle of Villalar.