Historic Figure: Simón Bolívar - Cartagena, Colombia

Simón Bolívar

Cartagena, Colombia

N 10° 25.398 W 075° 33.070

Short Description: 

A monument honoring Simón Bolívar is located in the center of Parque de Bolívar in the old walled part of the city of Cartagena, Colombia.

Long Description:

Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco was born in Caracas, Venezuela on July 24, 1783. His parents died when he was young and his education was entrusted to several notable teaches, the most influential of which was Don Simón Rodriguez who instilled and he instilled in the young Bolívar the ideals of liberty, enlightenment, and freedom. At the age of 14 he entered the military academy of the Milicias de Veraguas.

On April 19, 1810, the Supreme Junta of Caracas was established, the colonial administrators deposed and Venezuela achieved de facto independence. Bolívar was named to a delegation sent by the Junta to solicit recognition and aid from Great Britain. In 1812, they persuaded Francisco de Miranda to return to Venezuela to conduct a civil war against Spanish rule. Bolívar was promoted to colonel and made commandant of Puerto Cabello.

He was given a military command in Tunja, New Granada (now Colombia). On May 24, 1813 he entered the city of Mérida where he was proclaimed as El Libertador (The Liberator). Thus began the Admirable Campaign that resulted in victory over Spain and the reestablishment of the Republic of Venezuela. Bolívar then turned his attention to gaining independence for New Granada and later consolidate the independence of Venezuela. The campaign for the independence was successful following the victory at the Battle of Boyacá on August 7, 1819.

During his life Bolívar was instrumental in achieving independence for Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. He died of tuberculosis, in Santa Marta, Colombia, on December 17, 1830 at age 47.

A life-size bronze equestrian statue of The Liberator of five South American countries, Simón Bolívar, depicts the patriot, military commander, and president wearing a dress military uniform astride a horse that has its left front foot raised. Bolívar is wearing a full military dress uniform, including a long tail coat, epaulets, ornate shirt, sash, knee length riding boots, and spurs. He is holding his hat by the brim, upside down, with his outstretched right arm and hand. The holds the reins of he horse in his left hand and has a sword handing from his left hip. The monument was sculpted in Munich by the Venezuelan sculptor Eloy Palacios and erected in Bolívar Park in 1896.

The statue rests on a 15' tall, rectangular, stepped granite base. On each side of the base are recessed, polished granite, panels. The front contains a bronze coat of arms flanked by a pair of crossed flags and topped by a standing eagle with its wings spread. The left side panel is inscribed:

LA AMERICA ENTERA ESPERA SU LIBERTAD 

I SALVACION DE VOSOTROS IMPERTERRITOS

SOLDADOS DE CARTAGENA I DE LA UNION - BOLÍVAR 

{THE WHOLE AMERICA HOPES ITS FREEDOM

I SALVATION FROM YOU IMPERIALISM

CARTAGENA SOLDIERS OF THE UNION - BOLÍVAR}

The back panel is inscribed:

AL PADRE DE LA PATRIA

LA HEROICA CARTAGENA

1896.

{THE FATHER OF THE COUNTRY

THE HERO OF CARTAGENA

1896.}

The right side panel is inscribed:

CARTAGENEROS, SI CARACAS ME DIO LA VIDA

CARTAGENA ME DIO LA GLORIA

SALVE CARTAGENA REDENTORA - BOLÍVAR

{CARTAGENIANS, IF CARACAS GAVE ME LIFE, 

CARTAGENA GAVE ME GLORY

SAVE CARTAGENA REDEEMING - BOLÍVAR}