Statue of Christopher Columbus, London

Statue of Christopher Columbus
The statue in 2009
ArtistTomás Bañuelos
Year1992 (1992)
MediumBronze
SubjectChristopher Columbus
LocationBelgrave Square, London
Coordinates51°29′55″N 0°09′13″W / 51.4985°N 0.1535°W / 51.4985; -0.1535

A statue of Christopher Columbus stands at the southern corner of Belgrave Square in London. It was designed in 1992 by the sculptor Tomás Bañuelos, as a gift from Spain. It was erected by a committee of Canning House to mark the 500th anniversary of Columbus's first voyage to the Americas.[1][2]

In 2021, the statue was the target of vandalism during the George Floyd protests regarding controversy surrounding Columbus's relationship with slavery. It followed a petition to remove the statue for the alleged crimes committed by Columbus.[3]

References

  1. ^ Baker, Margaret (2002). Discovering London Statues and Monuments. Discovering series (5. ed., revised and updated ed.). Princes Risborough: Shire Publications. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-7478-0495-6.
  2. ^ Matthews, Peter (2012). London's Statues and Monuments. Shire Library. Oxford; Long Island City, NY: Shire Publications. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-7478-0798-8.
  3. ^ Davis, Barney (13 October 2021). "Columbus statue smattered in red paint in London's Belgrave Square". The Standard. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
  • Media related to Statue of Christopher Columbus, London at Wikimedia Commons