Windmill of Gregorio Prieto

Windmill of Gregorio Prieto

Gregorio Prieto (acclaimed local painter) was a true admirer of the most typical Manchegan constructions, our windmills. These were a common theme on all his paintings and exhibitions all over the world (London, Copenhague, New York, etc.) As a result of that passion we have the windmill of Gregorio Prieto, built during the fifties, the largest windmill in the world. It was built by local masons and carpenters from Valdepeñas. This windmill was the first museum in our city and it is a tribute fromValdepeñas and the painter Gregorio Prieto, to these pastoral monuments that honoured -not so long ago-, the plains of La Mancha.

La Galana

La Galana

This sculpture honours all the women from Valdepeñas, specially Juana Galán "La Galana". She was a brave fighter during the encounter with the French troops of Napoeon in Valdepeñas on June 6th 1808. The sculpture represents the historic moment of the battle, the gesture simbolises the courageous fight of the people of Valdepeñas to stop the troops of Napoleon.

Juana Maria Gabina Galán y Heredia was born in Valdepeñas on the 25 October 1787. On the day of the battle (6 June 1808) she went out of her house, wielding a baton to fight the French soldiers. She was barely 20 years old. She took part in the Junta de Defensa (defense command), training women to pour boiling water and oil from their windows to the enemy. On the 2 May 1810 she wedded Don Bartolomé Ruiz de Lerma Fernández-Escribano. On 24 Septemer 1812 she died from a miscarriage at the age of 24.

Author: Javier Galán
Title: La Galana
Technique: melted bronze.
Size: 2,50 x 1,20 x 1,50 m.
Year: 2008.