Monumento a Tripulantes Goleta Ancud (Monument to the Crew of the Schooner Ancud), Punta Arenas

Monumento a Tripulantes Goleta Ancud (Monument to the Crew of the Schooner Ancud), Punta Arenas

This striking, large monument on Costanera Avenue commemorates the possession of the Strait of Magellan by Chile. Created by sculptor Guillermo Merino Pedrero the sculpture is a replica of schooner Ancud and features in it key elements of the Chilean culture - mythical beings Pincoya and Millalobo, three livestock animals, along with the ship’s crew.

The Monument to the Crew of the Schooner Ancud is located at the intersection of Av. Colón and Costanera del Estrecho, in the city of Punta Arenas. It was inaugurated on January 4, 2014 and dedicated to the commemoration of the effective takeover of the Strait of Magellan by the State of Chile on September 21, 1843. The monument corresponds to a sculpture of large proportions (6 meters high ), made in cement and iron by the sculptor Guillermo Merino Pedrero, at the request of the regional government of Magallanes. The work represents the journey of the twenty-three expeditionaries of the schooner Ancud, who set sail for the Strait of Magellan, from the port of Ancud in May 1843 and who anchored on the shore of Puerto Hambre on September 21, 1843. In view In the main part of this monument we find the bow of the schooner Ancud represented, on which some members of the expedition are deployed, among whom is the captain of the crew, Juan Williams Wilson. In addition to the mythological beings the Pincoya and the Millalobo and three livestock animals, representative elements of the Chilote culture. The expedition and colonization of the Strait of Magellan was one of the central concerns since the dawn of the Republic of Chile and, specifically, of Bernardo O'Higgins. For this reason, on one of the sides of the sculpture we identify a Chilean flag on a mast, a rifle, a scroll and a saw. These symbols constitute a representation of the historical desire of different politicians of the Republic of Chile, to take effective possession of the Strait of Magellan, a strategic point in the connection between the Pacific Ocean and the South Atlantic and which will be, until the construction of the Panama Canal At the beginning of the 20th century, the main navigation, cabotage and export route of the main ports of the Pacific Ocean.

The commemorative monument "Takeover of the Strait of Magellan", by the sculptor Guillermo Meriño, inserted in the Third Section of the Coastal Project of the Strait of Magellan in Punta Arenas, is composed of a central volume that integrates the bow of the ship into its main view. Schooner Ancud, driven by 4 sailors and soldiers, breaking away from a rock mass, which evokes the place where the crew arrived. On this volume, a group of 11 most representative characters of the expedition, commanded by the Frigate Captain Don Juan Williams, and a circular water fountain, made up of 2 beings from the mythology of Chiloé, advance victoriously and expectantly in front of the landscape. The crew (in period costume) is headed by Captain John Williams, who from the ship decisively indicates his willingness to choose Punta Santa Ana to take possession of the territory, holding with his other hand the mast with the flag of the Republic of Chili. It must be said that Williams is the one who, finally, fulfills O'Higgins' wish to take possession of the Magellan territory. Accompanying the captain are: the colonel and wise naturalist Bernardo Philippi, surveying the amazing Patagonian landscape and with the map of the territory in a hand; Benancia Elgele, one of the women who came on board (symbol of procreation), who has a chicken in her arms; and Ignacia Leyba with deep faith, raising her arms, thanking God, artillery lieutenant Manuel González, carrying a rifle, whose mission was to protect the territory; the carpenter Lorenzo Aro bending over with a construction tool (a saw), whose job would be vital for the group; the boy Horacio Williams, the captain's son, who symbolizes the future; and driving a goat intended for breeding; and finally, a group of sailors and soldiers, located in the lower part of the bow of the ship, a group of four sailors and gunners has been integrated. who propel the ship (Recardo Didimos, José Santana, Corporal José Idalgo and Sipriano Jaros) symbolizing the sacrificial effort and attacks against the storms and inclemencies of the sea. Each of the figures that make up the sculptural group on the deck represent their roles, expectation. ***PH***

Monumento a Tripulantes Goleta Ancud (Monument to the Crew of the Schooner Ancud) on Map

1
30 m
100 ft
Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors
Sight Name: Monumento a Tripulantes Goleta Ancud (Monument to the Crew of the Schooner Ancud)
Sight Location: Punta Arenas, Chile (See walking tours in Punta Arenas)
Sight Type: Statue/Public Art