Location

N Broadway & E Fayette Street (Street View)

GPS: 39° 17′ 39.00″ N 76° 35′ 38.40″ W

History

Like another monumental figure in the Baltimore landscape, Simon Bolivar, José Julián Martí Pérez (1853-1895) was a pivotal figure in opposition to Spanish control of Central and South America. Marti, however, is a hero to the island nation of Cuba, claimed equally by all political factions. He is considered to be the “Apostle of Cuban Independence” and was a revolutionary patriot writer of great reknown, whose writings helped galvanize support for the unsuccessful 1895 colonial rebellion in Cuba. Baltimore’s memorial bust of Jose Marti was dedicated in 1998, under sponsorship by neighboring Latin American communities. Around the pedestal upon which the Marti bust rests are soil samples from 21 Latin American countries, Tampa & Key West (FL) and New York City.

Notes

Though not a career soldier himself, Marti was so passionately dedicated to the cause of Cuban Independence that he died fighting for it on the front-lines during the Battle of Dos Ríos. New York City’s Central Park boasts an equestrian monument to Marti, which is atypical of such memorials, depicting Marti at the moment of his death. A 358 foot tower and monument to Marti adorns the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana and was often used by Castro to address audiences of nearly a million. In 1999, a hand-picked Cuban baseball team defeated the Baltimore Orioles 12-6, while hundreds of anti-Castro protestors gathered at Marti’s bust in opposition.

Nearby

• Odd Fellows Wildey Monument
• Latrobe Monument

Links

• On Flickr and Panoramio
• Jose Marti on Wikipedia
• City Paper article

Location

N Charles Street & St Paul Street & Bedford Place (Street View)

GPS: 39° 20′ 36.56″ N 76° 37′ 17.90″ W

History

Simon Bolivar (1783-1830) is frequently referred to as the “George Washington of South America.” This bust, by artist Felix de Weldon, was a gift from the government of Venezuela to the City of Baltimore and was dedicated on April 19, 1961. (Felix de Weldon is also the sculptor of the famous Marine Corp Memorial, which depicts a determined group of soldiers raising the American flag over Iwo Jima) According to Baltimore’s City Paper, “Duplicate busts were given to the municipalities of Bolivar, W. Va., Bolivar, Mo., and New Orleans.” Known as a El Libertador – “The Liberator,” Bolivar was inspired by the American Revolution to throw off Spanish rule in South America. He fought in or organized revolutionary actions for close to two decades, resulting in the formation of the nation of Gran Colombia. It’s area encompassed present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama along with small parts of Peru, Brazil, and Guyana. Around the neck of the Bolivar bust is a medallion with a portrait of George Washington.

Notes

The location of this monument compared to most others in the city is a bit far-flung. Travel north until Charles Street and St. Paul Street merge into one in the neighborhood of Guilford. There is what might be considered a brother-statue to Bolivar down towards Fell’s Point of Jose Marti, a Cuban revolutionary hero. Bolivar’s influence on South American politics is felt even today, thanks to a political philosophy referred to in English as Bolivarianism, and the subsequent Bolivarian Revolution of Venezuela’s leader, Hugo Chavez. The movement is typified by a strong emphasis on Venezuelan sovereignty, self-sufficiency, equity and patriotic service.

Nearby

• Creator’s Game
• Peace Cross
• Confederate Women of MD

Links

• On Panoramio & Flickr
• Simon Bolivar on Wikipedia
• Sculptor Weldon’s obituary in NY Times
• Smithsonian entry