4. Basilio Paraíso Square
Independencia Boulevard ends at Basilio Paraíso Square. At one of its sides we can see the facade of the old Faculty of Medicine and Sciences. There are four sit statues of doctors and scientists. These are the only works of the square with a certain commemorative character, since the others are ornamental. Nevertheless, the Commemorative Monument to the Spanish-French Exposition of 1908 was placed there, serving also as homage to one of it main promoters: Basilio Paraíso. Nevertheless, the monument rested unfinished for decades, since Paraíso was opposed to its construction until his dead. The bust was put in 1935, after the dead also of his son. As it happens with the majority of public sculptures built for the Exposition, those works of art were made by artists from other Spanish regions: the Catalan Oslé brothers. The demands imposed by city growing, forced the municipality to translate these sculptures, since they hindered road traffic, being moved to a hidden corner of the Parque Grande. We find another monument to Basilio Paraíso at the entry of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a bronze bust on a pedestal made by Florencio de Pedro in 2008.
The statue of Augusto Prima Porta, in memory of the founder of Caesaraugusta, was also put on this central square in the 1980s. After several moves, we can finally visit this work at César Augusto Avenue, at the feet of a small pond opposite the Allegory of the Peace Gate and the Roman Walls.