Statue of La Bella Otero

Undoubtedly, one of the most international figures of Valga’s history. Carmen Otero –that is her real name– was born into a very poor family in 1868, brought up without a father and hardly any education. At the age of ten, she was violently raped by a local resident, which greatly traumatised her and led to her leaving her village a few months later, never to return.
This marked the beginning of her legend, first in Lisbon, where she danced in clubs and even worked as a prostitute, then in Barcelona or Marseilles, before ending up in Paris, where she succeeded as a dancer. She soon became famous throughout Europe and socialised with some of the most powerful men of that time, many of whom were her lovers and protectors.
She travelled the world as an exotic dancer, singer and even an actress. She can be considered Spain’s first internationally renowned artist and died in Nice in 1965.
This bronze statue reproduces a poster of one of her performances in Paris’ famous Follies–Bergére cabaret. The statue is the work of the Padrón sculptor Camilo Rodríguez Vidal and was unveiled in 2003. We can learn more about this enigmatic woman in the History of Valga Museum.