Statue of Christopher Columbus (Columbus City Hall) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christopher Columbus |
|
|---|---|
The statue in 2006
|
|
| Artist | Edoardo Alfieri |
| Year | 1955 |
| Medium | Bronze sculpture |
| Subject | Christopher Columbus |
| Location | Columbus, Ohio, United States |
| 39°57′44″N 83°00′12″W / 39.962298°N 83.003289°W | |
Christopher Columbus, also called Columbus, was a statue made in 1955 by Edoardo Alfieri. It used to stand outside the City Hall in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The statue was put up in 1955 to celebrate Christopher Columbus's trips to the Americas. It was taken down in July 2020 because of how the explorer treated Native Americans.
What the Statue Looked Like
_-_044.jpg)
The statue stood in Portman Plaza, next to the City Hall. It was made of bronze. The sculpture showed Christopher Columbus wearing a cloak. He was holding a rolled document.
The statue was about 22 feet (6.7 meters) tall. It weighed about 3.5 tons. It stood on a square stone base. A bronze plaque was attached to this base.
How the Statue Came to Be
_-_040.jpg)
The statue was made in Pistoia, Italy. It was a gift from the people of Genoa, Italy. They gave it to the people of Columbus, Ohio. The statue traveled from Italy to the USA. It came on a ship called SS Cristoforo Colombo.
The statue was set up in Columbus on October 10, 1955. It was officially dedicated on October 12, 1955. This happened during the city's Columbus Day celebration.
In 1979, the statue was being repaired. Workers found a copper box inside it. This box was a time capsule. It held things like a shipping bill for the statue. In 1992, the Smithsonian Institution studied the statue.
Why the Statue Was Removed
In 2015, many people started talking about removing old statues. This included statues of Christopher Columbus. In August 2017, about 150 people protested at the statue. They wanted it removed. They pointed out that Christopher Columbus had been violent. He had also enslaved Native Americans.
In 2020, more protests happened in Columbus. These protests again called for the statue to be removed. People also wanted other Columbus statues taken down. Some even wanted the city's name changed.
The mayor announced the statue's removal on June 18. He said a new artwork would better represent the city. The statue had been damaged the day before. An Italian-American group, the Columbus Piave Club, did not agree. They wanted the statue to stay or be returned to them. They had celebrated its unveiling every year since 1955.
A city resident tried to stop the removal with a lawsuit. But the Columbus Art Commission voted to approve taking it down. The statue was removed on July 1, 2020. The mayor was able to order its removal without a public hearing. The art commission said the public would help decide on the new artwork.
