Don Pedro Menendez

Don Pedro Menndez by D Hackett... more

by D Hackett

Title

Don Pedro Menendez

Artist

D Hackett

Medium

Photograph - Digital

Description

Don Pedro Menndez by D Hackett

This 6-foot tall by 2-foot wide sculpture sits on 4-foot tall by 4-foot wide coquina base. The statue is located between the Lightner Museum and Flager Collage in St Augustine Florida.

A portrait of Don Pedro Menendez de Aviles composed of fiberglass-coated bronze with concrete and reinforcement rods inside. He stands with both hands in front of him positioned on top of a sword. He is dressed in 16th century Spanish attire, including a pointed helmet with plume, a ruff around his neck, and boots.

The sculpture was given to the city in 1957 by Walter B. Fraser, former mayor and Florida State Senator. It was donated in honor of the city's 400 year anniversary celebration. The sculpture is one of two donated by Fraser that flank the entrance to the city

About

Pedro Menndez de Avils (15 February 1519, 17 September 1574) was a Spanish admiral and explorer, best remembered for founding St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. This was the first successful Spanish foothold in La Florida and remained the most significant city in the region for several hundred years. St. Augustine is now the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the Continental United States. Menndez subsequently became the first governor of Spanish Florida.

Menndez made his career as a sailor in the service of the king. His first plans for a voyage to Florida revolved around searching for his son, Juan, who had been shipwrecked there in 1561. However, following the founding of Fort Caroline in present-day Jacksonville by French Huguenots under Ren Goulaine de Laudonnire, he was commissioned to conquer the peninsula as Adelantado. He established St. Augustine in 1565, and later took over Fort Caroline and displaced the French. Firmly established as governor, Menndez turned his focus to exploring the area and establishing further fortifications. He returned to Spain in 1567 and was also appointed governor of Cuba. He made one further trip back to Florida. He died in 1574.

Uploaded

January 13th, 2015