Mirador de Colom, Barcelona

While entering to Catalonia, Mirador De Colom or Columbus monument is the first  magnificent structure to catch our eyes. And as soon as we checked in in the Hello BCN hostel , we decided to take a walk to the monument. It was already 10.30 at night and we grabbed some sandwiches on the way to Barcelona. So we kept our bags and went out with a map.

I will thank the position of the hostel, or rather my boy friend for choosing that hostel. Las ramblas and the port of Barcelona are close to the hostel and the monument is in between the two.

The Columbus Monument is a 197 ft tall monument built to honour the first voyage of Columbus to America. At the very top of the monument stands a 24 ft tall bronze statue atop a 131 ft tall Corinthian column. The statue was sculpted by Rafael Atché and is said to depict Columbus pointing towards the New World with his right hand, while holding a scroll in the left.

The column, hung with a device bearing an anchor, stands on an octagonal pedestal from which four bronze winged victories or Phemes .

The base of the monument is a 66 ft wide circle, with four staircases. Each staircase has two lions, which are the favourite places for the tourists to take photos. So did I.

A contest was held for Spanish artists to submit their designs with the winner being Gaietà Buigas i Monravà. Most of the money was privately raised, with little being financed by public funds.

I really recommend this historical structure if you are visiting Barcelona.

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