Obelisk of Montevideo
The Obelisk of Montevideo is a monument in Montevideo, Uruguay, located at the intersection of Bulevar Artigas and Avenida 18 de Julio. Designed by the Uruguayan sculptor José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín, it was inaugurated on 25 August 1938 to honor the members of the General Constituent and Legislative Assembly of the State that approved Uruguay’s first constitution in 1830. Built entirely of Uruguayan pink granite and standing 40 meters tall, it includes three bronze statues representing Law, Strength, and Liberty, as well as a hexagonal water fountain around its base. The west side bears the inscription “A los constituyentes de 1830.”
January 2011 © Hoverfish · CC BY-SA 3.0
September 2013 © Dani AldeLe · CC BY-SA 3.0
© Gerardo Silveira · CC BY-SA 3.0
March 2021 · CC BY-SA 4.0
March 2012 © José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín · CC BY-SA 3.0
Identification | |
| Title | Obelisk of Montevideo |
| Official name | Obelisk to the Constituents of 1830 |
| Original name | Obelisco aos Constituintes de 1830 |
| Spanish name | Obelisco a los Constituyentes de 1830 |
| Alternative name | Obelisk of the Constitution of 1830 |
| Type | Monument; obelisk |
Historical context | |
| Heritage designation | Recognized as national heritage on 8 September 1976 |
| Inauguration date | 25 August 1938 |
| Purpose | To celebrate the centenary of the first Constitution of Uruguay, promulgated in 1830 |
| Dedication | In honor of the participants in the General Constituent and Legislative Assembly of the State that enacted Uruguay's first Constitution |
| Creation date | 1930 |
| Date of conception | Early 1930s |
Creator | |
| Artist | José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín |
| Artist nationality | Uruguayan of Spanish descent |
| Artist lifespan | 1891–1975 |
Discovery and provenance | |
| Related monument | A similar but larger monument was erected in Buenos Aires six years later, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Buenos Aires |
Location and ownership | |
| Surroundings | Surrounded by a small square |
| Specific site | At the entrance to Parque Batlle, in the Parque Batlle barrio |
| Location | Intersection of Bulevar Artigas and Avenida 18 de Julio, Montevideo, Uruguay |
Physical characteristics | |
| Form | Three-sided obelisk |
| Height | 40 meters |
Materials | |
| Material | Uruguayan pink granite; bronze statues |
| Construction material | Entirely made of Uruguayan pink granite |
| Bronze figures | Three bronze statues |
Technique | |
| Fountain | Hexagonal fountain surrounding the monument, with six spheres on the outer circumference |
Appearance | |
| Statue themes | Law, Strength, and Liberty |
| Inscription | A los constituyentes de 1830 |
| Inscription location | On the west face of the central spire |
| Fountain inscription | The names of the banking institutions that financed the construction are engraved on the edge of the fountain |
Iconography and meaning | |
| Commemorated figures | Participants in the General Constituent and Legislative Assembly of the State who sanctioned Uruguay's first Constitution in 1830 |
| Historical significance | They sanctioned the first Constitution of Uruguay in 1830 |
| Political significance | In 1983, the obelisk was the site of a massive peaceful demonstration calling for an end to the civic-military dictatorship and a democratic opening, known as 'Por un Uruguay sin exclusiones' or 'For a Uruguay without exclusions' |
| Historical event importance | Described as the largest demonstration in the country's history |
Significance | |
| Artist reputation | Known for creating several monuments with a nationalist character and evoking key figures in the country's history |