The Christopher Columbus Monument in Barcelona > Lift ticket
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Monumental Bullring 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).
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.
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
▷ Christopher Columbus monument Viewpoint Barcelona – Tickets Lift
- Barcelona’s most Important Monuments
- Christopher Columbus monument and viewpoint Barcelona
Updated May 04 2022
The monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus is one of many that were erected throughout the world in honour of the discovery of America, but this one in Barcelona has a special significance for us.
In addition to being a monument it’s also a viewpoint that offers a magnificent view of Barcelona coastline and La Rambla.
The Christopher Columbus monument is a 60-metre high column made out of stone, and it was the result of the commissioning of Gaietà Bugas i Monrava, the well-known Catalan architect at the time, and head of Barcelona’s Universal Exhibition of 1888. It was built for this very purpose, and was inaugurated on 1st June of the same year.
At the very top of the column is a statue of Christopher Columbus, made by the sculptor Rafael Atché. His arm is pointing out towards the sea; a common misconception is that it points towards America, but actually that’s not true at all – America is in the opposite direction!
The most accepted theory is that at the time, it was thought that it wouldn’t be appropriate, or aesthetically pleasing, to have Columbus pointing at the ground and not towards the sea, while others believe that he could be pointing towards Genoa, his alleged birthplace.
The Christopher Columbus viewpoint: unique views
It might look improbable at first glance, but there is actually a lift inside the Christopher Columbus monument that allows you to go up to the viewpoint at the top of it, and enjoy good views of the surrounding area, including the port, La Rambla and Montjuïc.
Go up to the Barcelona’s Columbus monument
Tickets
-10% online
However, the space inside the monument is quite small, so you don’t get the best views of the city. In spite of this, we think it’s well worth a trip due to its great height.
The lions of the Columbus monument in Barcelona
At the foot of the column, and comprising part of the monument, there are eight lions – four standing, overlooking the sea, and four sitting down, looking towards the land. It’s very typical for tourists to have their pictures taken sitting on the lions, but if you choose to do so, please be careful!
You can buy your tickets for the viewpoint on the day of your visit at the ticket office, which is at the bottom of the statue, but if you buy your tickets online in advance you’ll receive a discount of 10%.
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Where is the Columbus Monument in Barcelona located? Map and how to get there
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Columbus Monument in Barcelona — detailed information with photo
Columbus Monument is a majestic monument to the world-famous navigator, located in the city of Barcelona. The monument was erected in the place where in 1493 Christopher Columbus sailed after the expedition to the shores of America. The monument rises to a height of about 60 m and is installed on the square where Columbus Boulevard and the famous Ramblas converge.
Video: Columbus Monument
Contents
- Highlights
- History of the construction of the Columbus monument
- Tourist information
- How to get there
Highlights
The construction of the monument to Columbus in Barcelona8 was completed in a whole year1 in Barcelona8 hosted the World exhibition.
It is believed that this monument commemorates the visit that Christopher Columbus paid to King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I.
The tall monument is made of cast iron and stone, has a multi-figure decor and is recognized as a masterpiece of monumental art. The figure of a navigator 7.2 m high stands on a column rising 40 meters. A massive cast-iron column rises above a plinth with the inscription “tierra”, which means “earth” in Spanish. The octagonal stone pedestal is decorated with four griffins and figures of the winged goddess of Victory – Nike. Here you can also see medallions with portraits of people who helped lead the expedition to the West Indies and played a big role in the fate of Columbus. Around the base are bronze lions, near which tourists like to take pictures.
The plinth of the monument to Columbus is decorated with eight bas-reliefs depicting scenes from the life of a navigator. On one of them, Columbus and his son are in the monastery of La Rabida, on the other, the navigator tells the monks about his plans.
The third story is dedicated to his meeting with the Spanish rulers, and the fourth story is about the appearance of a navigator at a meeting. In the fifth bas-relief, the king and queen meet in Santa Fe. The following depicts the departure of ships from Frontera, the discovery of new lands and the solemn welcome of Columbus by the Spanish king and queen, after his return to Europe. Between the bas-reliefs are images of cities and provinces that the navigator has ever visited.
There is much debate as to where Columbus’ finger is pointing on the monument. Some believe that the navigator points towards his native Genoa, while others believe that Columbus draws the attention of those looking beyond the ocean to the new lands he discovered.
The history of the construction of the monument to Columbus
The famous navigator was born in Genoa. Then he moved to Portugal and finally settled in Spain. Some researchers are convinced that Columbus was born in Catalonia, therefore, starting from the middle of the 19th century, the idea arose in Barcelona to erect a monument to the famous fellow countryman.
In 1881, the city authorities held a competition and the jury chose the design prepared by the Catalan architect Gaieta Buigas y Montraba. Due to financial difficulties, the construction of the monument to Columbus was delayed and was completed just before the exhibition itself. The figure of the navigator was made by the Spanish sculptor Rafael Atche, and the bas-reliefs for the pedestal were made by Alexander Wolgemuth.
Information for tourists
Inside the column of the monument to Columbus there is an elevator, on which travelers rise to a height of 40 m to the statue of the navigator. It is equipped with an observation platform, from where you can see an excellent view of the coastal part of Barcelona – the Old Port, the Aquarium building and the majestic mansion, where the Barcelona Maritime Museum is located today. In the northeast, tourists can see the buildings of the old Gothic Quarter.
For visitors, the entrance to the observation deck of the Columbus monument is open daily: from March to October from 8.
30 to 20.30, from November to February from 8.30 to 19.30. An elevator ride costs 4 euros for adults and 3 euros for pensioners and children from 4 to 12 years old.
How to get there
The Columbus Monument is located on the Gates of the World – Portal de la Pau, which is located near the Old Port of Barcelona, near the famous Rambla. Tourists usually get to the monument by metro – along the L3 line to the Drassanes station. A double-decker tour bus also passes by the Columbus Monument. You need to get off at the Colom-Museu Marítim stop. In addition, you can get here by buses number 14, 18, 36, 38, 57, 59, 64 and 91.
See also: Bremen, Sweden, The Netherlands, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Newcastle upon Tyne, Mount Chimera, Atlantis Cave
Observation tower and monument to Columbus. Barcelona. Spain in Russian
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Tourism
Walking down the famous Rambla towards the sea, you will come across the round square Portal de la Pau, in the center of which stands a monument to the discoverer of America, the Spanish navigator Christopher Columbus.
The monument was opened on June 1, 1888 on the occasion of the World Exhibition in Barcelona and is an observation tower from a height of 60 meters offering amazing views of the historic part of the city, the embankment and the Mediterranean Sea.
The decision to build the monument was taken by the city administration in 1881. The government wanted to perpetuate the memory of the navigator who moored in the port of Barcelona after his expeditions to the West Indies. The monument is a bronze statue seven meters high by the sculptor Rafael Atche. The statue depicts Columbus with his right hand raised, the index finger pointing towards the sea. The statue is mounted on a metal column, which in turn stands on a stone pedestal. Inside the column is an elevator that leads to an observation deck inside the monument.
From the observation deck, located at a height of 60 meters, in the north and northeast, you can see the ancient buildings of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona – the domes of the Cathedral, the church of Santa Maria del Mar, La Merce.
Right at the foot, life is in full swing on the Rambla and Plaza Catalunya, and a little further, in the Eixample area, the peaks of the legendary Sagrada Familia temple are visible. The Mediterranean Sea and coastline extend to the west and northwest. In this direction, you can see the “wooden embankment” with a palm avenue, the twin towers of Port Olympic, the central Port Vell, and in the distance – the solar panels of the modern Forum Park.
To the south of the Columbus monument is Mount Montjuic with a park area and Olympic monuments. At the top of the mountain stands an ancient castle. Behind the panorama of the city in the east begins the mountain range, the Collserola Natural Park and the highest mountain in Barcelona – Tibidabo, where the Sacred Heart Temple rises and the amusement park operates.
The observation tower at the Columbus Monument is open to the public every day from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm. The cost of visiting for children from 4 to 12 years old is 3 euros, for adults – 4 euros.
A visit to the observation tower can be one of the most impressive moments in a tour of Barcelona. Walking through the remarkable places of the city, the monument cannot be overlooked due to its location on the way from the Rambla to the waterfront. You can visit the tower on your own, but you can do it more informative and interesting accompanied by a professional guide in Barcelona.
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