Columbus Statue

Here at the waterfront end of La Rambla, a 60 meter bronze figure towers above the port, his arm stretched toward the sea. This is the Columbus Monument, marking the exact spot where Christopher Columbus stepped back onto European soil in 1493 after crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. The Italian explorer chose this harbor to report his discovery directly to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand V, making this the first place in Europe to hear news of the Americas.

It was a moment that changed world history forever. Built for the 1888 World Fair, the monument took decades to realize. Antoni Fages i Ferrer first proposed it in 1856, but construction only began in 1882 after he finally convinced the city mayor. Sculptor Rafael Atché created the 7.2 meter statue that stands atop a massive Corinthian column. Most people assume Columbus points west toward the New World, but the statue actually faces southeast across the Mediterranean.

The debate continues whether it points to his birthplace of Genoa or simply gestures to the sea itself. Nearly 88 percent of the funding came from private citizens who believed in honoring this historic moment. An elevator inside the column carries visitors up to a viewing platform just below the statue's feet.