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Mirador de la Flor

Mirador de la Flor is a monument in Corpus Christi, Texas, inaugurated on May 6, 1997, in honor of singer Selena, who was killed in 1995. The memorial stands near Seaside Memorial Park and overlooks Corpus Christi Bay. It features a life-size bronze statue of Selena by local artist HW "Buddy" Tatum, showing her in a leather jacket with a microphone in hand, supported by a concrete pillar. The site also includes mosaics of white roses, Selena’s favorite flower, along with a large white rose and a commemorative plaque. In 2000, a 1.2-meter stainless steel barrier was added to help protect the statue and pillar.

Mirador de la Flor monument with Selena Quintanilla statue, tribute plaque, and rose beside a bay railing.
Mirador de la Flor in Corpus Christi, featuring the Selena Quintanilla monument overlooking the bay.
July 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Selena memorial plaque with golden inscription and mosaic border at Mirador de la Flor
A commemorative plaque for Selena Quintanilla-Perez, bordered by a gold and blue mosaic, at Mirador de la Flor.
June 2011 © Alkula's · CC BY 2.0
Memorial plaque for Selena Quintanilla Perez on a blue-tiled wall at Mirador de la Flor.
A memorial plaque for Selena Quintanilla Perez at Mirador de la Flor.
August 2009 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleMirador de la Flor
TypeMonument / tourist attraction

Location and ownership

LocationCorpus Christi, Texas, United States
AddressCorner of T-Head Street and Shoreline Boulevard

Historical context

Dedicated toSelena Quintanilla-Pérez
CommemoratesSelena Quintanilla-Pérez, who was murdered on March 31, 1995 at age 23
Inauguration date6 May 1997
PurposeBuilt in honor of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez

Discovery and provenance

Proximity to burial siteA few miles north of Seaside Memorial Park, where Selena is buried
FundingPartly financed by philanthropist Devary "Dusty" Durrill
Funding amount$600,000

Creator

SculptorH.W. "Buddy" Tatum
Sculptor descriptionCorpus Christi native local artist

Physical characteristics

OrientationFacing Corpus Christi Bay
Support structureConcrete pillar
ClothingLeather jacket
Object heldMicrophone
PoseStanding and leaning against a concrete pillar, looking toward Corpus Christi Bay
Figure depictedLife-size bronze statue of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez

Materials

Statue materialBronze
Support structure materialConcrete
Barrier materialStainless steel

Appearance

Decorative motifWhite roses
Rose elementLarge white rose on the north side of the pillar
PlaqueCommemorative plaque below the large white rose, facing Shoreline Boulevard

Iconography and meaning

Rose significanceWhite roses were said to be Selena's favorite flower

History and restoration

Protective barrier1.2 m-high stainless steel barrier added in 2000 to protect the statue and pillar from graffiti and other visitor actions

Significance

Visitor interestVisited by people from all over the world
Annual visitorsAbout 30,000 people visit the monument every year
Typical visitorsEspecially people from Corpus Christi and other Texas cities