Angel of Independence
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name El Ángel and officially known as Monumento a la Independencia ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City.
| The Monument of Independence | |
|---|---|
| Native name Spanish: Monumento a la Independencia, Ángel de la Independencia | |
| Location | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Coordinates | 19°25′37.1994″N 99°10′03.7554″W |
| Elevation | 45 metres (148 ft) |
| Inaugurated by | Porfirio Díaz |
| Built | September 16, 1910 |
| Built for | Centenary of Mexican Independence |
| Restored | September 16, 1958 |
| Restored by | José Fernández Urbina |
| Architect | Antonio Rivas Mercado Gonzalo Garita Manuel Gorozpe Enrique Alciati (sculptures) |
| Architectural style(s) | Corinthian column Victory column |
| Governing body | Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia |
Location in central/western Mexico City | |
El Ángel was built in 1910 during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz by architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, to commemorate the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence. In later years it was made into a mausoleum for the most important heroes of that war. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Mexico City, and it has become a focal point for both celebration and protest. It resembles the July Column in Paris, the Victory Column in Berlin and the Columbus Monument in New York City.