Born in Venezuela in 1783 as Simón Bolívar, this man became known as El Libertador - the Liberator. He fought against Spain, winning independence for his South American homeland and five other nations. His legacy has become an icon, and this equestrian statue of him in Washington, D.C. carries that iron-willed spirit. Donated by the Venezuelan government in 1955 and authorized by the United States Congress, the statue was created by American artist Felix de Weldon.
The statue is located at Virginia Avenue NW, 18th Street NW, and C Street NW, and stands impressively on a granite or marble base, the front of which reads, <quote>SIMON BOLIVAR</quote> <quote>THE LIBERATOR</quote> <quote>BORN JULY 24 1783 CARACAS VENEZUELA</quote> <quote>DIED DECEMBER 17 1830 SANTA MARTA COLOMBIA</quote> The east side states, <quote>THE REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</quote> and the west, <quote>LIBERATED VENEZUELA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU BOLIVIA AND PANAMA</quote> The statue was installed in 1955, and Bolívar's sword hand remains raised.
The road-trip to install the statue in Washington had to take the statue through overpasses, so the head, neck, and rider were taken off the horse. Today, the statue stands tall, proud, and remains well-maintained.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Friendly Jane
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