Statue of Historic Figure: John Cabot Monument - Montréal, PQ, Canada

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John Cabot Monument

Montréal, PQ, Canada

Topic: Statue of Historic Figures

GPS: N45° 29.367; W073° 35.016

Quick Description: 

A monument for the explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Cabato) is located in Cabot Square in Montréal, PQ, Canada.

Long Description:

In the center of Cabot Square is a large hexagonal monument to the Italian-born English explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto), by Italian sculptor Guido Casini. The 7' high bronze statue of Cabot stands on top of a 15' high stone base which is surrounded by three tiers hexagonal stone steps. The heavily bearded Cabot is depicted wearing a tunic and a knee length overcoat, open in the front. His feet are on each edge of the plinth and his is right hand is raised to the level of his eyes. His left arm is down by his side and he is a piece of paper. The statue was erected by the Italian community of Canada and unveiled on May 25, 1935.

Around alternating sides of the base are three bas-relief sculptures depicting scenes for Cabot's career as an explorer. The other three sides contain the following inscriptions:
In Italian:


GIOVANNI CABATO
GILLIALIANI
DEL CANADA
XXV MAGGIO MCMCCCV A XIII
In French:
A
GIOVANNI CABATO
LES ITALIENS
DU CANADA
In English:
TO
GIOVANNI CABATO
THE ITALIANS
OF CANADA
Giovanni Cabato was born in Venice, Italy around the year 1450. He was commissioned by King Henry VII of England to explore the North Atlantic. In May 1497 he sail west across the Atlantic Ocean on the ship the Matthew. He was the first European to discover what is now Canada when he landed on the island of Newfoundland. He explored the Canadian coastline in a futile search for a Northwest passage across North America to Asia. Along the way he named many islands and capes.

John Cabot claimed the land he explored for England. His second voyage is somewhat of a mystery. Historians at first thought the expedition was lost at sea but later evidence suggests he died in England in around the year 1499.