Monument to Pedro Sáinz de Baranda y Borreiro

The monument to Pedro Sáinz de Baranda, in Campeche

The monument to Pedro Sáinz de Baranda y Borreiro stands on the Malecón of Campeche, facing the gulf of Mexico, in tribute to one of the great figures of the country. The Campeche audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this frigate captain born in the city, hero of the battle of Trafalgar then architect of the end of the Spanish military presence in Mexico, represented in bronze with his gaze turned towards the sea.

History

The bronze statue that stands here represents Pedro Sáinz de Baranda y Borreiro as a frigate captain, his gaze turned towards the sea, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, a gesture that symbolises his military role and his commitment to the sovereignty of Mexico. The monument was inaugurated at the end of the 1980s to commemorate the bicentenary of his birth, and stands on the Malecón, facing the gulf of Mexico. Born in Campeche in 1787, Sáinz de Baranda left very young for Spain for naval training and joined the Spanish royal navy. At only eighteen, he took part in 1805 in the famous battle of Trafalgar against the British fleet; gravely wounded in combat, he was nevertheless promoted for his courage. After the beginning of the independence movement, he joined the cause of the new Mexican nation. In 1825, he played a decisive role: at the head of a small fleet, he organised the blockade of the fort of San Juan de Ulúa, near Veracruz, the last Spanish position on the territory. After several weeks of siege, the garrison surrendered on 23 November 1825, definitively ending the military presence of Spain in Mexico. He is also considered one of the founders of the Mexican navy.

What to see

Here you admire, on the Malecón facing the gulf, the bronze statue of Pedro Sáinz de Baranda, frigate captain born in Campeche in 1787; a hero wounded at Trafalgar in 1805, he led in 1825 the blockade of San Juan de Ulúa that ended the Spanish military presence in Mexico, and counts among the founders of the Mexican navy. The monument honours a great son of Campeche. It is a fine stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The monument to Pedro Sáinz de Baranda stands on the Malecón of Campeche, facing the gulf of Mexico, reachable on foot. It is a monument in free access in the public space, that you discover during a walk along the waterfront.

Who was Pedro Sáinz de Baranda, honoured in Campeche?

Born in Campeche in 1787, this frigate captain took part at eighteen in the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where he was gravely wounded then promoted for his courage; rallied to the independence, he led in 1825 the blockade of the fort of San Juan de Ulúa, the last Spanish position, whose surrender ended the military presence of Spain in Mexico. He is considered one of the founders of the Mexican navy.

Where is the monument to Pedro Sáinz de Baranda in Campeche?

On the Malecón of Campeche, facing the gulf of Mexico, in Mexico.