Monument to Christopher Columbus, the marble giant that moved house
The Monument to Christopher Columbus is a 26-metre monument carved in Carrara marble that now stands on the Río de la Plata waterfront, beside Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires. It was a gift from the Italian community for the Centennial, and one of the most unusual stories among the hidden gems of the city.
It was made entirely in Italy, shipped in numbered pieces and still bears marks from the 1955 gunfire. After 2013 the Columbus was dismantled, restored and set up on the banks of the Río de la Plata.
The history of the Monument to Christopher Columbus
The monument was a gift from the Italian community living in Argentina to mark the Centennial of the May Revolution. A committee chaired by the immigrant businessman Antonio Devoto raised the funds, with contributions ranging from wealthy merchants to humble immigrants. A law of 1907 authorised the donation and on 24 May 1910 the foundation stone was laid in Parque Colón, behind the Casa Rosada.
The design was by the Florentine sculptor Arnaldo Zocchi, chosen by competition. He made it entirely in Italy, in Carrara marble; it was then dismantled and its numbered pieces shipped to Buenos Aires, where Zocchi himself directed the assembly. The sculpture arrived only on 14 April 1921 and was inaugurated on 15 June that year, with President Hipólito Yrigoyen present. The whole stands 26 metres tall and weighs 623 tonnes; the statue of the navigator, about six metres high, crowns a single-piece column.
At the base, allegorical sculpture groups evoke science, genius, the ocean and civilisation, alongside faith and justice, and reliefs show Columbus before the Catholic Monarchs and on his return from the first voyage. An inscription draws on verses from Seneca's Medea, read as a prophecy of the discovery. Beneath the group on the south side lies a crypt that was meant for a museum that was never realised.
The monument also carries marks of Argentine history: in 1955, during the bombing of Plaza de Mayo, projectiles left damage in the marble. In 1987 it suffered an attempted bomb attack by unknown perpetrators. Its square, Parque Colón, had been laid out by Carlos Thays; to place the statue a large French fountain had to be taken apart.
In 2013 it was decided to replace Columbus with a statue of Juana Azurduy, and the monument was dismantled in June, setting off a political and legal dispute. In 2017, after an agreement between the city and national governments, it was restored and re-sited facing the river beside Aeroparque, where the ground had to be reinforced to carry the marble. The Azurduy statue was moved the same year in front of the Centro Cultural Kirchner.
Curious facts about the Monument to Christopher Columbus
- The work was made entirely in Italy: it was dismantled, the pieces numbered, and Zocchi directed its assembly in Buenos Aires.
- Columbus faces east, towards the Río de la Plata; according to the sources this was no mistake, as is often believed, but a choice by the Italian community so that he would point to the horizon of his routes.
- It weighs 623 tonnes and stands 26 metres tall, with a statue of about six metres carved in Carrara marble on a single-block column.
- The crypt in the base was meant to house a museum to the navigator; a brick from his birthplace was kept there and has since disappeared.
- The surface still carries marks from the projectiles of the 1955 bombing.
- After the 2013 dismantling the monument lay in pieces for two years before its restoration and move.
Tours near Monument to Christopher Columbus
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
How to visit the Monument to Christopher Columbus
- It is outdoors, beside Aeroparque Jorge Newbery on the Río de la Plata waterfront, and can be seen up close in a short visit.
- Look at the sculpture groups on the base, the inscriptions and the reliefs, and search for the 1955 marks in the marble.
- The sources do not say that the crypt in the base is open to the public.
- Its original site, Parque Colón, lies behind the Casa Rosada; the monument stood there until 2013.
- Nearby are the Club de Pescadores, the Planetario Galileo Galilei, the Bosch Palace and the Japanese Gardens.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Monument to Christopher Columbus is
Photos of Monument to Christopher Columbus
Questions
What is the Monument to Christopher Columbus in Buenos Aires?
It is a 26-metre monument in Carrara marble by Arnaldo Zocchi, a gift from the Italian community for the Centennial. It was inaugurated in 1921.
Where is the Monument to Christopher Columbus today?
Beside Aeroparque Jorge Newbery on the Río de la Plata waterfront, on Costanera Rafael Obligado. It has stood there since 2017; before that it was behind the Casa Rosada.
Why was it moved?
In 2013 it was decided to replace it with a statue of Juana Azurduy and it was dismantled, which caused a long political and legal dispute. In 2017 it was restored and re-sited by the river.
Who made the Monument to Christopher Columbus?
The Florentine sculptor Arnaldo Zocchi, chosen by competition. The work was made in Italy and assembled in Buenos Aires under his direction.
How big and heavy is it?
It is 26 metres tall and weighs 623 tonnes. The statue of Columbus is about six metres high.
Why does Columbus face east?
According to the sources it was no mistake: the Italian community wanted Columbus to look towards the Río de la Plata, pointing to the horizon of his routes.
Also nearby
Club de Pescadores
Costanera Norte, Buenos Aires · a fishing club over the river
900 m away
Galileo Galilei Planetarium
Palermo, Buenos Aires · 20 m dome, moon rock and meteorites
1.5 km away
Buenos Aires Japanese Gardens
Palermo, Buenos Aires · the largest Japanese garden outside Japan
2 km away
Monument to the Carta Magna and Four Regions of Argentina
Palermo, Buenos Aires · the Monument of the Spanish, in marble and bronze
2 km away