Tag Archive for: Monument

2020 – Argentina – La Plata – Plaza San Martin – Monument to General José de San Martín

Image by Ted’s photos – For Me For You
Hey, we are in La Plata’s Plaza San Martin. Guess what, it has a Monument to General José de San Martín.

The bronze equestrian statue depicts General San Martin waving the flag. At his feet a woman (the grateful Republic) holds out a laurel wreath, next to a crest with the arms of Argentina.

The monument is a replica of the one in Boulogne-sur-Mer where San Martin died.

The monument was sculpted by Emile Allouard and architect G. Bouzy.

25 April, 1914, President Victorino de la Plaza inaugurated the monument in the center of the plaza. At that time the place was renamed “Plaza General San Martín”.

San Martín is regarded as a national hero of Argentina and Peru, and one of the Liberators of Spanish South America.

The Order of the Liberator General San Martín (Orden del Libertador General San Martín), created in his honor, is the highest decoration conferred by the Argentine government.

In 1848 San Martin moved to Boulogne-sur-Mer, a small city in northern France. He was almost blind and had many health problems because of his advanced age.
Shortly after receiving the news of the Argentine victory against the Anglo-French blockade, San Martin died at 3 AM 17 August 1850.

29 May, 1880,San Martín’s remains were repatriated to Argentina. The mausoleum was placed inside the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral. As San Martín was suspected of being a freemason, the mausoleum was placed in an expanded wing of the Cathedral.