The Christopher Columbus Monument is located in Barcelona, Spain and was built in 1888 to honor the renowned explorer and discoverer of America. The monument is placed at the site where Christopher Columbus arrive in 1493 on his return from his discovery of America the year before.

The monument is a single column that is 60 meters (197 ft.) tall with a statue of Christopher Columbus on top. The monument is located in the center of a traffic circle that is known as Placa de la Porta de Pau which means “Square of the Gate of Peace”.

The monument can’t be missed as it is located between two popular tourist sites. The monument is at the end of Las Ramblas Street and next to the Port Vell. The view of the statue will look like the two photos below when nearing the end of Las Ramblas Street.

Columbus Statue

The statue of Christopher Columbus is more than seven meters tall and sets on top of a cast-iron column. The statue is of Columbus holding a scroll in his left hand and pointing with his right hand. It is said that the statue depict Columbus pointing towards the New World but the statue is not pointing west, it is actually pointing east towards the city of Genoa, Italy where Columbus was theoretically born.

Pedestal

The octagonal stone pedestal of the monument supports the cast-iron column.

At the top of the pedestal are four bronzed angles facing the four corners of the world.

Underneath each angle is a stone statue of one of the four leaders of the regions of Spain (Catalonia, Aragon Castile and Leon).

Between the regional leaders is a stone statue standing that were on Columbus’ voyages or government officials and on each side of these statues are bronze medallion portraits of people related to Columbus.

On each side of the octagonal base are bronze relief panels that illustrate important events surrounding Columbus discovery of America.

In the evening the sun lights up the monument and at sunset the statue becomes a silhouette onto the colorful sky.

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