Just north of the palace area and east of the temple was the dramatic Plaza de España. The giant Torre de España was apparently one of Franco's joys. It serves as a monolithic backdrop for the wonderful statue commemorating the great Spanish writer, Cervantes (seated in the chair at the base of the plinth).
In the shadow of Cervantes is his most famous character, the Man of La Mancha, Don Quixote, and his pal Sancho Panza.