Monumento al Lobo Marino, Stone monument in Mar del Plata, Argentina

The Monumento al Lobo Marino consists of two stone sea lion figures standing in the Plazoleta de la Armada Argentina on the Bv. Marítimo P.P. Ramos, in Mar del Plata. The work was designed by the Argentine artist José Fioravanti and carved by the Slovenian sculptor Janez Anton Gruden.

The coastal region was home to large sea lion colonies until the late 1800s, which gave the area its original name 'La Loberia Grande'. The monument itself was created in the 1940s by sculptors Jose Fioravanti and Janez Anton Gruden.

The name reflects the historical importance of sea lions to the city and its identity. Visitors can sense the connection between Mar del Plata and its marine heritage through these sculptures today.

The monument sits in a public plaza along the waterfront and is easily accessible on foot. Visitors should know that the area is active during daytime and the sculptures can be viewed from multiple angles.

The work is signed by José Fioravanti, but the Slovenian sculptor Janez Anton Gruden is named as the actual carver of the stone figures. In January 2019 one sea lion was spray-painted with the word "Cacho"; restorer Constanza Addiechi noted the pigments had penetrated deep into the stone.