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In the middle of Plaza de la Merced stands an obelisk dedicated to General José María Torrijos and his companions, who were executed by firing squad on San Andrés beach on 11 December 1831 after an attempted uprising against the absolutist rule of Ferdinand VII.
Torrijos defended the Constitution of 1812 and civil liberties against absolutism. He landed on El Charcón beach, on the coast of Málaga, on 2 December 1831, counting on support that never came, was captured and shot without trial along with 48 men. His death moved liberal Spain: José de Espronceda wrote a sonnet in his honour, and the painter Antonio Gisbert portrayed the scene in "The Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Málaga", painted in 1888 and now in the Prado Museum.
The obelisk, designed by the architect Rafael Mitjana, was unveiled on 11 December 1842, the eleventh anniversary of the executions, and the remains of those executed lie in a crypt beneath it. Plaza de la Merced, also home to Picasso's birthplace and a sculpture of the painter sitting on a bench, is one of the liveliest spots in the centre of Málaga.
To explore Málaga and the Costa del Sol at your own pace, pick up a rental car at Málaga Airport from Marbesol, with no deposit and all-inclusive rates.
