Don’t risk a costly mistake on your next trip to Malaga Port trying to get a good photo

‘Sit on the lion and I’ll take your photo’, a great shot for Instagram as you stroll through Malaga Port, but warning, authorities have officially stepped in to protect their waterfront sculptures from eager visitors looking for the perfect picture.

Protecting valued port sculptures from quick photos

Two bronze lions guarding the harbour entrance very quickly became popular photo spots after their arrival. Visitors would regularly place young children onto the backs of the statues or climb up themselves to pose for pictures.

Created by international sculptor Gines Serran Pagan as part of ‘Las Columnas del Mar’ (Columns of the Sea), the artwork carries an estimated value of around three million euros. Port officials decided to intervene after continuous handling began raising concerns about wear and tear on the bronze surface.

Clear warnings and potential costs explained

Bilingual signs in English and Spanish sit beside the sculptures, clearly showing a crossed-out climbing figure. Sitting, leaning, or climbing on any part of the artwork is completely prohibited under the new guidelines. Rather than issuing a standard fixed fine, the notice outlines the real risk for anyone ignoring the rules:

Port Authority Notice: Any damage to the sculptures or accidents caused by climbing remains the full financial and legal responsibility of the person involved, or their parent or legal guardian.

Because restoring multi-million euro bronze sculptures is an expensive process, even accidental damage could mean covering costly specialist repair bills instead of a simple fixed penalty. As visitor numbers rise, protecting the landmarks has become a growing priority across the city. At Malaga Cathedral (Patio de los Naranjos), protective metal fencing was added around historic courtyard chains after people sitting on them caused stone pillars to shift.

Port managers hope the clear warning signs will encourage everyone to enjoy the statues, just not from being sat on top.