In 1835, the Catalonian sculptor Antonio Solá created a statue of Cervantes and it was the first secular statue to be installed in Madrid that was not dedicated to royalty. There was a trend since the mid-18th century to pay tribute to the important people from the world of science and arts.

It was first placed in the court of Palacio de la Cruzada, in the Duque de Nájera square, but was translated in July in 1835 to its current location at the Plaza de las Cortes; a place closer to where the writer spent his last years.

In 2009, a “time capsule” was discovered in its pedestal containing some very well preserved items: four volumes of Don Quixote from 1819, a book on life of Miguel de Cervantes, other publications, medallions and coins. These finds are today held at the Museo Arqueológico Regional en Alcalá de Henares.