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Monument to the Azoreans

Monument to the Azoreans is a public art monument in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, honoring the arrival of the first sixty Azorean couples who populated the city in 1752. Also known as Monumento aos Açorianos, it was inaugurated on March 26, 1974, for the city’s 206th anniversary. The 17-meter-high, 24-meter-wide sculpture was built in 1973 from steel and is located at Largo dos Açorianos, near the state administrative center. Created by sculptor Carlos Tenius, its futuristic form resembles a caravel made of intertwined human bodies, with a winged figure at the front evoking Icarus and symbolizing the journey to a new country by sea.

Monument to the Azoreans, a rust-colored abstract metal sculpture with human figures and a sweeping ship-like form against the sky.
The Monument to the Azoreans rises above a grassy lawn with abstract figures supporting a ship-like metal structure.
March 2011 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Monument to the Azoreans, a tall reddish-brown metal sculpture on a grassy lawn with modern buildings behind it.
The Monument to the Azoreans rises above a lawn, with modern buildings in the background.
July 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Monument to the Azoreans standing on a green lawn with a modern building in the background.
The Monument to the Azoreans on a lawn in front of a modern building in Porto Alegre.
© Cristiano Aristimunha Pinto · Public domain
Monument to the Azoreans on a green lawn with a tall white building behind it under a blue sky.
The Monument to the Azoreans stands in the foreground with a tall white building rising behind it.
2007 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Monument to the Azoreans, a weathered steel abstract sculpture on a green lawn with a modern curved building behind it.
The Monument to the Azoreans stands on a grassy lawn, with a modern curved building rising in the background.
© · CC BY 3.0
Monument to the Azoreans seen behind a chain-link fence, with a modern building and a restoration sign in the background.
The Monument to the Azoreans stands behind a chain-link fence, with a restoration sign visible nearby.
April 2015 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Monument to the Azoreans, a tall rusted metal sculpture with white graffiti near the base, stands on a grassy area beneath a cloudy sky.
The Monument to the Azoreans rises from a grassy setting, its rusted metal surfaces marked with graffiti.
April 2015 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Monument to the Azoreans shown as a dark abstract sculpture with broad horizontal panels and radiating base elements.
The Monument to the Azoreans appears as a dark abstract sculpture against an overcast sky.
April 2015 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Monument to the Azoreans abstract metal sculpture against a blue sky
The Monument to the Azoreans seen in close-up, with its dark geometric metal forms silhouetted against a clear sky.
October 2012 © · CC BY 2.0
Close-up of the Monument to the Azoreans showing a heavily rusted metal surface with faint graffiti and a jagged hole near the bottom.
A close-up view of the Monument to the Azoreans shows heavy rust, graffiti, and damage to the metal structure.
April 2015 © · CC BY-SA 2.0

Identification

TitleMonumento aos Açorianos
Original titleMonumento aos Açorianos (Portuguese)
TypePublic art monument
English titleMonument to the Azoreans

Historical context

Dedicated toThe arrival in 1752 of the first sixty Azorean couples who settled Porto Alegre
Unveiled onMarch 26, 1974
Unveiled forThe city's 206th anniversary

Creator

ArtistCarlos Tenius

Discovery and provenance

Built in1973

Physical characteristics

Height17 meters
Length24 meters

Materials

MaterialSteel

Technique

ConstructionMetal sculpture

Appearance

CompositionIntertwined human bodies
Front figureA winged figure resembling Icarus
FormResembles a caravel
StyleFuturistic

Iconography and meaning

SymbolismRepresents victory in reaching a new country after traveling across the sea
Inscription"Jamais sonhariam aqueles casais açorianos, que da semente que lançavam ao solo nasceria o esplendor desta cidade."
Inscription meaningThe Azorean couples could never have imagined that from the seed they planted in the soil would be born the splendor of this city.

Location and ownership

LocationLargo dos Açorianos, near the Administrative Center of the State, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Nearby landmarkStone Bridge (Ponte de Pedra), also located in Largo dos Açorianos
Nearby landmark significanceAn important historical monument for Brazilian history
Plaza originOriginally built as part of the Guaíba lake embankment

History and restoration

Public adoption noticeReleased in 2019 by the Porto Alegre city council
Adoption term12 months, with the possibility of renewal
Adopting organizationOrder of Attorneys of Brazil
Protected from vandalismWalled off by the city in mid-2013
Restoration scopeRevitalization of the plaza; a two-level water mirror connected by a small waterfall; a new illumination system
Restoration duration3 years
Restoration completion2019
Restoration start2016
Adoption renewalRenewed in December 2020 for another year