Travels in Spain – Francisco Pizarro

“…the breed of men who conquered a continent with a handful of adventurers, wore hair shirts day and night until they stuck to their flesh, and braved the mosquitoes of the Pilcomayo and the Amazon” –  Gerald Brenan

It is a mighty statue, a magnificent statue, matched only by that of mighty El Cid in Burgos, and I challenge anyone not to admire it.  I am happy to declare it to be my favourite!

Here is the gigantic figure of Pizarro  sitting astride his proud stallion and dominating the entire square of Trujillo, head up, untidy jutting beard and plumes flowing as though trying to stay attached to his helmet whilst at full gallop.

The statue captures the flare and the audacity of the conquistadors and in his hand he carries a menacing sword but in a message that here was a man who lived and died by the steel the statue has no scabbard which seems to suggest that he rarely ever put the blade away.

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