Cuban Friendship Urn, Memorial monument in East Potomac Park, Washington DC, United States.
The Cuban Friendship Urn is a marble memorial in East Potomac Park standing about 7 feet tall, featuring an eagle with spread wings and neoclassical figures of people from both nations joining hands. The structure showcases carefully crafted details that symbolize the historical connection between the countries.
This memorial was presented to President Coolidge in 1928 by Cuban President Machado, created from fragments of a monument in Havana that honored victims of the USS Maine. Its origins connect it to significant moments in early 20th-century relations between the two countries.
The inscriptions on the monument use Spanish to express the ongoing friendship between the two countries, and the carved details include symbols meaningful to both Cuba and the United States.
This memorial is located in East Potomac Park near the 14th Street Bridge, surrounded by other historical monuments in the area. Visitors can reach the site on foot and should know that the park setting changes with the seasons.
After disappearing for decades during a period of tense relations, this monument was found abandoned in Rock Creek Park in 1996 and later underwent extensive restoration work. This rediscovered history demonstrates how political conflicts can affect even the physical symbols of friendship between nations.
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