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The Monument of Christopher Columbus

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

The monument of Christopher Columbus is a 60 meters high column, It was put up for the universal exposition of 1888 in homage to the famous explorer. The sight of the city is remarkable.

Elevator to the top of the Monument a Colom ticket

The Columbus Monument "Monument a Colom" in Catalan, also known as "Monumento a Colón and Mirador de Colón" in Spanish, was built for the Barcelona World Fair (1888). It is located at the bottom of Barcelona's Ramblas, on the spot where Columbus returned to Spain after his first voyage to the Americas. The monument recalls that it was in Barcelona that Christopher Columbus reported to Queen Isabel and Ferdinand after his most famous voyage.

 

The 7-metre high statue was sculpted by Rafael Atché and is said to represent Columbus pointing towards the New World with his right hand, while holding a scroll in his left hand. An amusing detail is that instead of pointing west, i.e. towards the New World, the statue points east, i.e. towards his home town of Genoa.

The statue stands on top of a pedestal, on which is inscribed the word "Tierra" (Land).

 

Christopher Columbus monument in Barcelona

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón - Barcelona

 

Another interesting anecdote is that originally the statue at the top of the column was supposed to represent the Greek goddess Athena, who symbolised the city of Barcelona. However, the organisers of the World Fair eventually decided to replace the statue of Athena with a statue of Christopher Columbus, which would be more appropriate for an international exhibition. The statue was installed on top of the column in 1888.

 

Christopher Columbus, the European navigators and the story of a discovery

We know that indigenous peoples who had been living in America for thousands of years discovered America long before the arrival of European explorers.

However, if we talk about the discovery of America by European explorers, the Genoese navigator Christopher Columbus is generally credited with the discovery of America in October 1492, when he reached the Caribbean after crossing the Atlantic Ocean with three ships financed by the Spanish crown.

Nor was he the only explorer at that time in that same part of the oceans; John Cabot explored the coasts of North America in 1497, Amerigo Vespucci explored the coasts of South America in 1499-1502 - he gave his name to that continent - and Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River in North America in 1534.

 

When he died on 20 May 1506, Columbus was still convinced that he had reached the Indies. But his record as an explorer was exceptional: he discovered many of the Caribbean islands and named several of them, including Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante, Trinidad and Dominica. Columbus' name was later attributed to several territories in America: Colombia, Gran Colombia, British Columbia.

The Monument of Christopher Columbus

Pl. Portal de la Pau, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Area: Barrio Gótico
Opening hours: Get to the top of the statue and enjoy a breathtaking view of the city and the Port of Barcelona every day from 8:30 to 14:30
Metro/Bus: Metro: L3 Drassanes
Barcelona metro map
Last comment
for the eyesight
johnBG (6 Apr 2023 - 10:22)
Beautiful view of Barcelona in the morning with beautiful light...
it is worth it for Instagramers ;-)
Add a new comment View comments

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I really do recommend a visit.
We don't talk enough about this palace, which is really very beautiful... Unfortunately, the façade was being restored at the time of our visit but the interior is simply magical. The price is a bit high, but like many monuments and museums in Barcelona, it's worth it.
Dnila - 27 Sep 2023 - 08:00
I would have loved to have seen some corridas
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thanks for the tip
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great local market
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JeanJean - 22 Sep 2023 - 07:26
free and it's well worth a visit.
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11 comments

  1. for the eyesight - johnBG (6 Apr 2023 - 10:22)

    Beautiful view of Barcelona in the morning with beautiful light...
    it is worth it for Instagramers ;-)

  2. Decolonize your public space - Stephan Milich (22 Feb 2022 - 10:02)

    Columbus had kidinapped six native Americans, and displayed them in the streets of Barcelona, he was an invador, and started of process that comprises numerous massacres, explusions, genocides. How can you be proud of such a vile history! Why not changing the names of your streets, everywhere imperial, colonial, etc. Spain seems in dire need of decolonization (even more than other European postcolonial societies...)

  3. Columbus Monument - Gildor (31 Jul 2019 - 08:16)

    Hello,
    How is the name of Columbus written on the monument? I mean with local language and letters. Can someone write it here asap, please?
    Thanks in advance.

  4. chirstopher cloumbus - deez nuts (9 Oct 2015 - 09:14)

    that is so cool Buena suerte chirstopher

  5. christopher columbus monument - michelle ♡♥☆★□■○●◇◆》 (27 Jan 2014 - 09:15)

    Wow I never new that christopher Columbus monument is here awsome to because I have the ifo for my project

  6. la statut montre la direction... - stecy (11 May 2012 - 10:45)

    la statut montre la direction du port.

  7. À Coco - Padzine (18 Mar 2012 - 18:30)

    Christophe pointe Genova, sa ville natale en Italie.

  8. christophe collomb barcelona - coco (13 Feb 2012 - 15:00)

    la nstatue indique de sa main une direction mais laquelle ?
    medrci de votre aide

  9. There is a lift in the column - LucinkaPerinka (16 Feb 2008 - 21:31)

    Yes you can get to the ball under Columbusś feet. There is a lift and you can see beautiful scenery...

  10. Statue of Christopher Columbus - BADWOLF (17 Jun 2007 - 12:21)

    Wow,that's big....I don't think you can climb up there.....

  11. this - me (18 May 2007 - 23:09)

    can you go up this thing?

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