Monument to Archbishop Olaechea

In the Archbishop’s Square, called from 1923 to 1939 “Cardinal Benlloch’s”, in a small garden space, between the Archbishop’s Palace, by the architect Traver, and the Berbedel Palace -formerly Camp- there are two pieces to consider.

Closer to the Berbedel Palace in a rectangular laundry room, bottom of green and white tiles, with border and zigzag of equal tones, a yellowish stone font of Romanesque tradition, with sixteen arches or shackles in rough relief, all soaked by the water of the fountain balanced with its drain (for the moment disappeared).

Closer to the Prelacial Palace is the monument to the aforementioned Archbishop Marcelino Olaechea Loizaga (Archbishop of Valencia between 1946 and 1972). Consisting of a high prismatic pedestal of square section on one plint and overmounted by another, under the statue, all of the same section and above this the figure, the work of Salvador Octavio Vicente Cortina, representing the Prelate standing, and of greater size, perhaps half more than the natural one, with slave and butter intervened, which allows him to raise his right arm in an attitude, very much his own, between greeting and blessing; with solideus, and, on the bronze of the figure, a delicate sgraffito or barely perceptible design.

At the head of the pedestal, facing the Archbishopric, is the inscription “Valencia to his archbishop Marcelino MCMLXXVII”.

The sculptural technique is firm and whole, without realistic concessions or the minimum to evoke a certain semblance of gesture rather than face.

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