The monument to Columbus was commissioned by the Minister of the Navy, Francisco Paula Pavia in 1882 to place it in the Arsenal. The Spanish sculptor Juan Sanmartin y Serra made it in Carrara marble in the city of Genoa. In 1900 the statue was ceded to the City Council, but it was not placed until the urbanization of Muralla del Mar. The pedestal was designed by the architect Lorenzo Ros in 1920. The statue represents Columbus with his arm extended pointing to land, which is the iconography most widespread of the sailor in statues.