590 monuments on this site

This website shows the monuments erected all over the world with a relation to Christopher Columbus, his companions and their early voyages to America.
En este sitio encontrarás una descripción ilustrada de los monumentos erigidos en honor a Cristóbal Colón, sus compañeros y sus primeros viajes a América.

Union City, NJ, United States Salamanca, Spain Genova, Italy Barcelona, Spain York, Pa, United States
In Fourteen-Hundred and Ninety-Two, Columbus Sailed the Ocean Blue (*)

Introduction

On October 12, 1492 Christopher Columbus set foot upon one of the Bahamas. The Age of Discovery had begun. Columbus became a metaphor for discovery, adventure, bravery, daring and perseverance. He set into motion a series of historical events that resulted in an entirely new world.
     The first monument for Columbus was erected on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the discovery, in 1792, in Baltimore, Md. In the same time there was a serious movement afoot to rename the United States of America "Columbia." That goal was not achieved, but the capital district was given the name District of Columbia, and several cities across the United States were named Columbus or Columbia. In the 19th century about a dozen other monuments were erected to honor the Admiral.
     By the 400th anniversary, all of North America joined in a celebration that lasted an entire year. Italian Americans raised the money necessary to erect a giant monument to Columbus in New York City's Central Park. Exhibits, parades, and festivities throughout the country culminated in Chicago at the World's Columbian Exposition.
     In that year and the following years Columbus monuments mushroomed all over the world, especially in the United States. My research on the WWW and during my holidays resulted in over 400 memorials all over the world. This website has the intention to list and illustrate these monuments.

Subpages
Some background information on Columbus
Was Columbus the first European in America?
Portraits of Columbus
Towns, Regions, Rivers, Mountains etc. named after Columbus
My collection of postcards with Columbus monuments
Links
Full text of: Néstor Ponce de León, The Columbus Gallery (New York, 1893)
Full text of paper "Geographical Distribution of Monuments for Christopher Columbus"
Some other Columbuses !

Italian:
Cristoforo Colombo
Spanish:
Cristóbal Colón
Catalan:
Cristofor/Cristofol Colom
Portuguese:
Cristóvão Colombo
English:
Christopher Columbus
French:
Christophe Colomb
Dutch:
Christoffel Columbus
Greek:
Χριστόφορος Κολόμβος
Other languages here Columbus figurine (42 cm high) in the collection of the author of this website
This metal figurine of 42 cm high is a gift from George Glazer (thanks George). Who can give me more information about it? When is it made, for what occasion, what was the model?

With a little red icon following the address is meant::

☐ = object is not in the public space, but is visible from the public space

☒ = object is in a building or on en enclosed court; usually after asking you can see the object

$ = object is in a museum and visible after paying the entrance fee

✖ = object is no longer present

? = unknown if it still exists or not

I am not a specialist on Columbus. Do you have questions not related to monuments or statues? Don't ask me, but check:
Columbus Navigation Homepage — Columbus link page — Christophe Colomb, L'Amiral de la mer Océane (French language)

☐	=	object is not in the public space, but is visible from the public space
☒	=	object is in a building or on en enclosed court; usually after asking you can see the object
$	=	object is in a museum and visible after paying the entrance fee
✖	=	object is no longer present
?	=	unknown if it still exists or not

Columbus Monuments Pages

590 monuments on this site

Subpages