ARCHIVED - Bust of Alfonso X El Sabio unveiled at the Castillo de la Concepcion in Cartagena
Cartagena pays tribute to the Castilian King who conquered the city from the Moors in 1245
Coinciding with the celebration of International Museums Day on May 21, which is estimated to have attracted around 40,000 visitors in Cartagena, the city now boasts a new statuesque bust adorning the esplanade of the Castillo de la Concepción.
The bust commemorates King Alfonso X, who in 1245 conquered Cartagena and took it from the Moors, incorporating it into the Kingdom of Castilla. Last year marked the 800th anniversary of the King nicknamed “El Sabio” (The Wise), and with the unveiling of his bust Cartagena joins the city of Murcia in commemorating his reign.
At the ceremony Mayoress Noelia Arroyo stated that it was due to Alfonso X that Cartagena became the first Castilian city of what is now the Region of Murcia, defining the limits of its territory and granting it the status of Catholic diocese which it retains to this day.
The bust was sculpted by José María Hernández Dólera and it now stands in the part of the gardens of the Castillo de la Concepción which were once home to the staircase giving access to the main tower of the fortress. It stands on a block of stone taken from the old docks of the port, close to a similar portrayal of the Carthaginian leader Hasdrubal, who ruled Cartagena before the arrival of the Romans in 209 BC.
The ceremony also saw the switching on of the new illumination system which makes the keep of the 13th and 14th century fortress visible at night, using 14 adjustable LED projectors. This system is designed to use less electricity than a standard washing machine and similar ones are likely to be installed at other castles around the city.
For more local news, events and other information go to the Cartagena section of Murcia Today.
Images: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena