Monument to Hernán Cortés (Medellín)

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Monument to Hernán Cortés (Medellín) is a public statue in Medellín, Spain, honoring the Spanish conqueror who led the fall of the Aztec Empire. It features a bronze figure of Cortés in armor, standing on a stone pedestal, designed by Eduardo Barrón.

History in brief:
- The idea was first proposed by writer Carolina Coronado in 1845, with a public petition in 1858.
- The project took many decades to come together and was awarded to Eduardo Barrón. The statue model was made in Rome, and the bronze was cast in Barcelona.
- Funding came from the Provincial Deputation of Badajoz and the Spanish state; the bronze was made from cannons funded by Carlos Groizard y Coronado.
- The statue was transported to Medellín and unveiled on 2 December 1890 near Cortés’ old house, in a ceremony attended by Raimundo Fernández Villaverde.

Vandalism incident:
- In August 2010, the statue was vandalized with red paint, one day after a Mexico–Spain football match celebrating the bicentennial of Mexico’s independence. Leaflets criticizing the statue were found nearby.
- The Medellín mayor responded by noting that actions define people, calling the vandals’ act an example of tyranny and arrogance.