Statue of Christopher Columbus, Marconi Plaza Philadelphia

Historic Christopher Columbus monument in Marconi Plaza.

The Christopher Columbus Monument was originally erected on the Centennial Exposition grounds at the intersection of Fountain and Belmont Avenues, near the Conservatory[1] and dedicated on October 13, 1876[2] as a tribute from Italy to America.

The entire monument cost $18,000, was made of Italian Ravazzoni marble, and stands 22 ft (6.7 m) from the ground, the statue of Columbus being 10 ft (3.0 m) in height and the pedestal 12 ft (3.7 m). The base is 7 ft (2.1 m) long by 6 ft (1.8 m) in width, and the weight is about 70,000 lb (32,000 kg). The figure represents Columbus, in the costume of his age and clime, standing on a ship’s deck, near his feet being an anchor, coils of rope, and a sailor’s dunnage bag; his right hand resting on a globe, 15 in (380 mm) in diameter, with the New World outlined on the front face, and supported by a hexagonal column.

His left is gracefully extended and holds a chart of what was once an unknown sea. The head of the statue is bare, and the physiognomy about as represented in the bust of the navigator at Genoa. On the front cap of the pedestal are the words “Presented to the city of Philadelphia by the Italian Societies”.

Beneath this is a medallion representing the landing of Columbus. On the opposite side of the cap is inscribed “Dedicated October 13, 1886, by the Christopher Columbus Monument Association, on the Anniversary of the Landing of Columbus, October 13, 1482”. Underneath is the Genoese coat of arms and the words “In commemoration of the First Century of American Independence”. On the remaining two sides of the pedestal are the coats of arms of Italy and the United States.