Columbus Monument

At the center of the Plaça de la Porta de Pau (Square of the Gate of Peace) stands a monumental column topped by a statue of Christoffel Columbus. The 60m / 197ft high monument, known as the Monument a Colom, was designed by Gaietà Buigas i Monravà for the Universal exhibition of 1888.

The monument is placed at the site where Christoffel Columbus arrived in 1493 after his discovery of America the year before. Columbus was presumably born in Genoa, Italy. He first moved to Portugal and later settled in Spain. Nevertheless in the 19th century Columbus was considered a Catalan - some historians still claimed he was born in Catalonia, hence the monument for the famous explorer in Barcelona.

The 7m high statue shows a standing Columbus pointing towards the sea. Oddly enough, he is not pointing in the direction of the new world he discovered.

The column can be visited, a lift brings you to a platform from where you have an excellent view over the Rambla and Port Vell.