Cárdenas National Monument

A view of the National Monument, with the statues of Alvarez and Campos in front and the mural to the Signing.

The National Monument (Martino: Monumento Nacional) is a in Cárdenas, the capital of Nouvelle Alexandrie. It was erected in 1686 AN to commemorate the signing of the Proclamation of Punta Santiago, the founding document that established Nouvelle Alexandrie. The monument stands approximately 1 km south of the Legislative Palace, seat of the Cortes Federales; as well as about 600 m from the Judicial Palace. It is widely regarded as one of the most important symbols of the federation’s unity, independence, and constitutional order.

It was an integral part of the so-called Cárdenas Plan, the urban plan that established the new capital; its principal architect, Hyacinthe Betancourt, recognised the need for a new national monument to commemorate the unification of the nation. Since its completion in 1686 AN, it has remained a focal point in the district, as well as a venue for national ceremonies and public gatherings; including the annual National Unity Day.

Overview

The National Monument is a large marble and bronze ensemble, centered on a a 40-obelisk of white marble, rising from a circular plinth. The obelisk is topped with a large bronze sun, representing Wechua Nation. At the obelisk's base stand two bronze statues of Vicaquirao Alvarez and Alejandro Campos, the principal drafters and signatories of the Proclamation and two of the founding statesmen of the Federation. They are depicted in suits, smiling and standing shoulder to shoulder. Four relief panels adorn the monument's base, each crafted by renown sculptor Lucía Valdés de Oronoz. They depict, respectively:

1. The Signing at Punta Santiago.
2. The Crowning of Manco Cápac.
3. The Members of the 1st Cortes Federales.
4. The Inauguration of Alejandro Campos as President.

The entire plinth is surrounded by a shallow reflection pool, bordered by low hedges.

The monument is the centerpiece of the synonymous Parque de Monumento, a small ceremonial civic park that runs between the Legislative Palace and the Monument itself. The square forms the southern end of the Avenida de la Constitución, the grand boulevard that links the Plaza de la Constitución, the Legislative Palace, and the Monument. The square surrounding the reflection pool of the monument is paced with patterned mosaics, each depicting the crests of the Regions of Nouvelle Alexandrie. Around the square are major civil offices, as well as influential think tanks such as the so-called National Union for Civil Rights.

See also

• Cárdenas Plan
• Cárdenas
• Proclamation of Punta Santiago
• Spring Crisis of 1739
• National Unity Day