Statues of the Liberators

A series of Statues of the Liberators of western-hemisphere countries from colonial rule is found along Virginia Avenue, N.W., in Washington, D.C. (which has been referred to as a Washington version of New York City's Avenue of the Americas).

Several statues have been erected on Virginia Avenue, N.W., between 18th and 25th Streets, by various Latin American countries honoring their liberators and other national figures. The statues are maintained by the National Park Service. The location on Virginia Avenue was chosen because of its proximity to the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS), which is located at Virginia Avenue and 18th Street, and to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which is located at Virginia Avenue and 23rd Street.

Ordered going from East to West:

Statue Liberator Location of statue Country Year erected Artist
General José Gervasio Artigas José Gervasio Artigas Virginia Ave. and Constitution Ave., NW  Uruguay 1950 Juan Manuel Blanes (1830–1901)
Equestrian of Simón Bolívar Simón Bolívar Virginia Ave. and 18th Street (at C St.), NW  Venezuela 1958 Felix de Weldon (1907–2003)
General Jose de San Martin Memorial José de San Martín Virginia Ave. and 20th Street, NW  Argentina 1972 Augustin-Alexandre Dumont (1801–1884)
Bernardo de Gálvez Bernardo de Gálvez Virginia Ave. and 22nd Street, NW  Spain 1976 Juan de Ávalos (1911–2006)
Benito Juarez Benito Juárez Virginia Ave. and 25th Street (at New Hampshire Ave.), NW  Mexico 1969 Enrique Alciati

The statue of Gálvez is idiosyncratic in that it both celebrates a Spanish loyalist and was given by the King of Spain to the United States in 1976 in celebration of the Bicentennial. It is Gálvez's role as a helper of the rebellious colonies during the American Revolution that is here celebrated.

The statue of Benito Juarez relates to the reforms made by him to control power from the Church in México. The Libertator of México is actually Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. México was the first country to fight against the Spanish Kingdom. Hidalgo was the first one to start the Liberty movement in Latin America.

In the year 1972, the statue of San Martín was removed to its present location from Judiciary Square (roughly E Street between 4th and 5th Streets, NW), where it had been erected in 1925 at a ceremony including President Calvin Coolidge. This move was necessitated by the construction of the Washington Metro station at Judiciary Square. The statue is a copy of the statue of San Martín that stands in Buenos Aires' Plaza San Martín (sculpted in 1862 by French artist Louis-Joseph Daumas).

Another statue that might be, but only ironically, considered a piece of this collection is the statue of the would-be liberator, Don Quixote de La Mancha, that is on the grounds of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (near the Juárez statue). Sculpted by Aurelio Teno, the Don Quixote statue was also presented by the King of Spain, as was the Gálvez statue, on his 1976 visit to the United States.

See also
National Park Service map marked with the location of the statues, near the National Mall, the OAS Headquarters, and the White House
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