Monumento a Rubén Darío

Why did they move Rubén Darío’s monument? Here at the Monumento a Rubén Darío, this question hangs in the air as thick as the Buenos Aires humidity. The Monumento a Rubén Darío, a tribute to the Nicaraguan poet who penned the epic “Canto a la Argentina,” wasn’t always here in Plaza Rubén Darío. This bronze behemoth, sculpted by Argentine artist José Fioravanti, originally resided in another prominent location: Plaza Evita, next to the National Library. The library’s gardens, interestingly enough, were designed by Darío himself. This monument, with its mythical figures flanking the poet and the winged horse, Pegaso, soaring above, is a testament to Argentina’s admiration for Darío. The monument was a gift, commissioned in 1967 for the centennial of Darío’s birth. In 1997, a new monument was planned, this time for Eva Perón. This necessitated a relocation. The Monumento a Rubén Darío found its new home here, and with it, the plaza was renamed. The original name, Plaza Justo José de Urquiza, honoring the Argentine caudillo, faded into history. The monument’s inscription captures a snippet of “Canto a la Argentina”: “Argentina your day has arrived! Buenos Aires beloved city! The Pegasus shod with stars flies over you in inspired flight. Hear mortals, the sacred cry: Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!” These words, etched in bronze, resonate with Darío’s vision of Argentina, a land of opportunity and freedom.