High above us, Christopher Columbus holds a Castilian flag. He stands atop the Monument to Christopher Columbus, a tribute to the explorer’s voyage. The Monument to Christopher Columbus is located in the Plaza de Colón, a prominent square in Madrid. This square, originally called Plaza de Santiago, was renamed in 1893 to honor Columbus.
The monument itself has two main parts. The 17-meter high basement, designed in a Gothic Revival style, was created by Arturo Mélida. The 3.30-meter statue of Columbus, crafted from Carrara marble, is the work of Jerónimo Suñol. The statue depicts Columbus holding a flag, a powerful symbol of his voyage and the Spanish patronage. The basement was completed in 1885. It was meant to be inaugurated in 1886, but the death of King Alfonso XII postponed the event. Suñol’s statue was delivered to Madrid in 1892.
The Monument to Christopher Columbus has had a journey of its own. In 1976, it was dismantled and moved to the nearby Jardines del Descubrimiento. It remained there until 2009, when it was returned to its original location during renovations of the Prado-Recoletos axis. Today, the Monument to Christopher Columbus stands tall in Plaza de Colón. It serves as a reminder of Columbus’s voyage and the historical ties between Spain and the Americas.