Monument to Francisco Bolognesi

The Monument to Francisco Bolognesi is a military memorial in Lima District featuring a bronze sculpture mounted on an obelisk, showing the colonel grasping the Peruvian flag and holding a revolver. The work sits at a roundabout that links different neighborhoods in the city center.

Colonel Francisco Bolognesi died defending Peru in the Battle of Arica in 1880 against Chilean forces. The original monument was built in 1905 and replaced in 1954 with the current bronze sculpture, which was designed to portray him in a more heroic stance.

The monument occupies Plaza Bolognesi, where locals and visitors gather each June 7 to honor a national hero through a flag ceremony commemorating the Battle of Arica. This annual gathering reflects how the site remains central to how Peruvians remember their military past.

The monument sits at a roundabout connecting Lima District and Breña District, accessible from multiple directions through the city center. This central location makes it easy to visit alongside other nearby attractions.

The current bronze sculpture has stood since 1954, replacing the original 1905 version that depicted the subject in a pose considered insufficiently heroic. This replacement reveals how nations reshape monuments to match evolving ideals about heroism and sacrifice.

Location: Lima District

Official opening: November 5, 1905

GPS coordinates: -12.06028,-77.04139

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:55