Equestrian statue of José de San Martín, Bronze equestrian monument at Plaza San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The equestrian statue of José de San Martín is a bronze monument on Plaza San Martín in central Buenos Aires. The horse stands on its hind legs while the general points his arm toward the Andes, where he led his most famous military campaigns.
French sculptor Louis Joseph Daumas created this first equestrian statue in Buenos Aires in 1862 as a tribute to Argentine independence from Spain. The work appeared decades after the liberation wars and became a model for many later monuments across the country.
The red granite base carries four corner sculptures depicting the departure to war, the battle, the victory, and the return, recalling the main stages of the independence movement. These figures show moments that were decisive for the birth of the Argentine nation and can be observed closely by walking around the monument.
The monument stands in the middle of Plaza San Martín, a park with old trees and wide paths, near Retiro station. The spot is easy to reach on foot and offers a good view of the statue from several sides.
This monument has been replicated 57 times across Argentina and 13 times abroad, making it a reference for similar tributes. Many of these reproductions stand in smaller cities, where they often mark the center of public life.
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