The idea to build a big monument came from Antoni Fages i Ferrer, who thought it would be cool if the entire thing was built by Catalans. For sixteen years no one liked his idea, until finally, in 1872, it was accepted by the mayor of Barcelona, Francesc Rius i Taulet, and after nine years, the city finally began plans for the construction, in 1881. For the design of the monument, a big contest exclusively for Spaniards was held and the design submitted by Gaietà Buigas i Monravà (a Catalan) was chosen. All of the funding was from Spanish sources, and most of it was privately raised. Also, the entire construction, labor and materials, was done by Catalans, just as the original person who had the idea wanted it to be. The construction began in 1882 and finished six years later in 1888.

This monument has a statue of Columbus on the top. This statue, 7.2m tall (24 ft), was sculpted from bronze by Rafael Atché. Columbus was meant to be pointing towards the New World, while holding a

scroll in the other hand, but when it was placed on top of a big column to make the monument, he was placed in a different way. He is said to be either pointing out to the sea where he landed to report to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand, or it could be pointing further out towards his home town, Genoa.

There are many other smaller statues representing people related to Columbus, and there are stairs at the base, with four sort of 'indents' or entrances, each one flanked by two lions, some standing, others in some sort of crouching/sitting position. There is supposed to be a lift inside the monument which can take up into a viewing platform

just underneath Christopher Columbus, but when I went to see this monument, I didn't see any open entrances that would lead to a lift. And the column seems pretty thin for an elevator.

Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Monument,_Barcelona,

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