Cabrillo National Monument

What is interesting monument Cabrillo

The Cabrillo National Monument was erected in San Diego Park in honor of the Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. This monument has a very rich history, with which we would like to share.

With our guide, you will begin the tour with an excursion center where short films and conversations with rangers will give an idea of the achievements of Cabrillo and its history. You will find out the weather for the day, low tide, get a mark in the passport of the National Park and visit the exhibition “Research Age”.

The monument offers amazing views of the skyline of San Diego and the Pacific Ocean. Well-maintained pedestrian zones pass through a coastal zone of 660 acres.

We will look at the coastal defense systems that the city created during World War II to isolate itself from the Japanese fleet. And if you are here from mid-December to late March, you can watch the migrating Pacific gray whales. If you forget the binoculars, they will be given out in the visitor center.

We recommend planning your trip based on the low tide. This will help to better see creatures living in the ocean. Use caution — do not attempt to cross rocky areas during high tides. Water on the beach is also unsafe for swimming.

The history of the foundation of the monument

The Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo set foot on the coast of present-day San Diego in 1542. Thus, he became the first European to land on the west coast.

The history of the national monument began with the efforts of a local civic group - the Panama Order. They wanted to erect a 150-foot statue on the site of an old lighthouse. After some persuasion, President Woodrow Wilson signed in 1913 permission to erect the monument in the Old Point Loma area.

The Cabrillo Monument provides visitors from all over the world the opportunity to enjoy natural views at the junction of the city and the harbor of San Diego. A landmark illustrates a person’s relationship with the environment.

In 1956, sculpture became an independent unit with its own staff and budget. In 1949, it was donated to the National Park Service.

Interesting Facts

• The monument is also known as the Columbus of California, as Cabrillo became the first European to set foot on the west coast of the United States.
• In 1932, the monument was declared a California historic landmark.
• The Cabrillo statue was commissioned by the Portuguese government and donated to the United States in 1939.
• The monument was made by sculptor Alvaro de Brie and is 14 feet tall and weighs 14,000 pounds.
• The original statue was exposed to the weather, so in 1988 it was replaced by a copy made of limestone.
• In winter, it is a popular spot for observing gray whale migration from the Arctic to Mexico.
• The sculpture has a 2.5-mile trail that runs through the southern coast of California.
• The structure of the attraction also includes the Old Point Loma lighthouse, built between 1851 and 1855.
• The monument also includes the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, built between 1851 and 1855.