Vargas Swamp Lancers, Bronze sculpture at Vargas Swamp, Paipa, Colombia.
Description
The Vargas Swamp Lancers is a bronze sculpture in Paipa depicting 14 mounted horsemen. This monument rises 33 meters high and extends 100 meters in length across the former battlefield site.
History
This monument commemorates the Battle of Vargas Swamp in July 1819, when Colonel Juan José Rondón led just 14 lancers against Spanish forces. This charge is considered a turning point in the Colombian independence movement.
Culture
Sculptor Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt completed this work in 1970 as Colombia's largest bronze creation honoring independence fighters. The riders and their horses appear in full motion, as if continuing the charge from the 1819 battle.
Practical
Visitors can climb the 36 steps encircling the monument, which symbolize Simón Bolívar's age during the battle. Walking around the sculpture offers changing perspectives on the galloping formation.
Did you know?
Each bronze horse weighs three tons, bringing the entire structure to a total weight of 235 tons. This load rests on a concrete base anchored deep into the swampy ground to support the mass.
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