At the plaza de Quito in Madrid, there stands a monument dedicated to José Martí, a Cuban writer and activist noted for his struggle in favour of the independence from Spain. The monument, a gift from the Republic of Cuba to Madrid, is a public art piece. Rising 7.90 metres high, it is made of steel and marble and weighs 15 tonnes. The front side displays a relief depicting the bust of José Martí, while the inscriptions on its flanks carry specific messages.
One inscription reads "madrid a josé martí (1853-1895) héroe nacional de cuba" and the other reads "y pongamos alrededor de la estrella en la bandera nueva esta fórmula del amor triunfante con todos y para el bien de todos" (let's put around the star in the new flag this formula of triumphant love with all and for the good of all). The structure consists of a cuboid with a 1.80 x 1.80 m base, bifurcating in two bodies upon its upper part and ornamented by the star from the flag of Cuba.
The monument was unveiled in October 1986 during a ceremony attended by Juan Barranco, the Mayor of Madrid, and Armando Hart, the Cuban Minister of Culture. It is located in an open space with two fountains, pines, cypresses, and London planes.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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