Statue of Benito Juárez (Washington, D.C.) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Benito Juarez |
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| Artist | Enrique Alciati Luis Ortiz Monasterio |
| Year | 1891 |
| Type | Bronze |
| Dimensions | 580 cm × 270 cm × 110 cm (228 in × 108 in × 43.2 in) |
| Location | Virginia Avenue & New Hampshire N.W., Washington, D.C., United States |
| 38°53′55.59″N 77°3′13.09″W / 38.8987750°N 77.0536361°W | |
| Owner | National Park Service |
The statue of Benito Juárez is an important work of art in Washington, D.C., United States. It stands where Virginia Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue meet. This statue is part of the city's "Statues of the Liberators" collection. It honors Benito Juárez, a very important former president of Mexico.
About the Benito Juárez Statue
This bronze sculpture shows Benito Juárez from the chest up. He stands with his right arm raised, pointing into the distance. His right hand rests on a book titled Reforma. This book sits on a low pedestal. Juárez wears a short double-breasted jacket and a long cape over his shoulders.
The sculpture rests on a granite base. On the front of the base, there is a famous quote from Juárez. It says:
- Respect for the rights
- of others is peace
- BENITO JUAREZ
- 1806–1872
- The people of Mexico to the people
- of the United States of America
This quote means that when everyone respects each other's rights, there will be peace. It's a powerful message from a great leader.
The names of the sculptors who worked on the base, Luis Sosa Villasenor and Louis Ortiz Macedo, are on the back. The date "Diciembre 1968" (December 1968) is also there. The main statue was created by Enrique Alciati in 1891.
History of the Statue
The Benito Juárez statue was a special gift from the people of Mexico to the United States. This gift was part of an exchange for a statue of Abraham Lincoln from President Lyndon B. Johnson.
The original Juárez statue was made in Rome in 1891. The statue in Washington, D.C., is a copy of that original. It was approved on October 17, 1968. This copy was made in Mexico City by Fundidores Artísticos. Luis Ortiz Monesterio helped with the plasterwork. The granite base was designed in the United States.
There's a hidden urn inside the back of the base. This urn holds soil from San Pablo Guelatao, the town where Juárez was born. A special message is carved into the plaza where the statue stands. It says:
- En este sitio fue depositada
- tierra de Guelatao, Oaxaca,
- lugar de origen del presidente
- Benito Juarez
- 7 de enero de 1969.
This translates to: "In this site was laid soil from Guelatao, Oaxaca, birthplace of President Benito Juarez – 7 January 1969."
The National Park Service (NPS) owns and takes care of the sculpture.
Caring for the Statue
In 1993, the Smithsonian Institution checked the statue. They said it was well cared for. However, over time, the statue's base started to wear down.
In November 2011, the National Park Service began important repairs. They planned to fix the granite on the pedestal and in the plaza. They also cleaned and repaired the statue itself. Any loose or missing letters on the base were reinstalled. Finally, they planned to waterproof the statue to protect it from weather. This work was finished in 2012.
Images for kids
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Benito Juarez statue in Washington D.C.
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The statue before undergoing conservation by the National Park Service
