Monument to the Heroes of Cavite and Santiago de Cuba

The Monument to the Heroes of Cavite and Santiago de Cuba is a naval war memorial in Cartagena featuring a central obelisk rising about 15 meters from a stone base, decorated with bronze sculptures and maritime design elements. Inscriptions on the structure commemorate the 1898 naval battles.

The monument arose after Spain's defeat in the 1898 war against the United States, with Cavite and Santiago de Cuba being sites of major losses. King Alfonso XIII attended the 1923 inauguration, marking Spain's formal recognition of those naval sacrifices.

The bronze figures show allegorical ideas of glory, heroism, and homeland, reflecting how Spain understood its maritime traditions and military values. These sculptures express the way such monuments communicated national feeling and identity to the public.

The monument stands in Plaza Heroes de Cavite near Cartagena's waterfront, where it is easy to reach on foot. The location is central and accessible from the main streets of the old city.

The monument was financed through public donation campaigns that included support from high-ranking church and military figures. This broad backing shows how important the project was to society at that time.