English: Christopher Columbus statue at parque de la Libertad in Colón Matanzas Cuba

Statue of Admiral Cristobal Colón - "Hilario Pérez Mayor of the time in Colón hired the artist Miguel Melero to design the monument to Admiral. Melero was born in 1836 and had studied with Lecrert and Morelli. He learned drawing and sculpture with Augusto Ferrán. He obtained also a pension to study in Paris where he became a disciple of Carpeaux. Upon returning to Cuba he obtained the title of director of the Academy of Fine Arts of San Alejandro by opposition contest becoming the first Cuban director of that school.

When in 1892 MIGUEL MELERO sculpted the plaster model of the statue of Christopher Columbus was 56 years old. The first stone of the monument is laid on August 3, 1892, although this was the centenary year it could not be completed on the planned date but as an anticipation of the inauguration celebrations - which for economic reasons would be made the following year -, the On November 28, 1892, the workers of the Colombian foundry of Amstrong and Estapé toured the streets of the town, leading the plaster model carved by Melero.

In some celebrations celebrated from April 2 to 4, 1893, the monument was inaugurated next to the still incomplete remodeling of the park. The work cost more than five thousand pesos. Miguel Melero was paid an approximate figure of one thousand two hundred. # Christopher Columbus day, # Cristobal Colón #