Plaza de la Paz, Barranquilla
 The square in 2024, with the cathedral in the background | |
| Native name | Plaza de la Paz (Spanish) |
|---|---|
| Area | 37,000 m2 (400,000 sq ft) |
| Location | Barranquilla,  Colombia |
| Coordinates | 10°59′16″N 74°47′20″W / 10.98778°N 74.78889°W |
| North | Carrera 46 |
| East | Calle 47 |
| South | Carrera 45 |
| West | Calle 53 |
| Construction | |
| Inauguration | 7 July 1986 |
The Peace Square (in Spanish: Plaza de la Paz), officially called Peace Square John Paul II (in Spanish: Plaza de la Paz Juan Pablo II) is an open public space in Barranquilla, Colombia. It is located in the central sector of the city, near the Metropolitan Cathedral. Built in 1986 to accommodate the crowd that welcomed Pope John Paul II in his trip to Colombia,[1] was remodeled between 2011 and 2013. In 2018, its expansion began, which was put into service on December 30, 2019.[2]
Referring to the square in his speech that day, Pope John Paul II said:
In this last stage of my pilgrimage along the roads of Colombia, as a messenger of Christ's peace, I have the joy of finding myself in this Peace Square, whose name unites, today more than ever, the desires of all Colombians.
— John Paul II[3]
With an area of 37,000 m² (after the expansion in 2018-2019), the square is the starting and finishing point for various cultural, political and social events. [1][4][5]
Among the monuments and structures in the square, there are: the sculpture "El Policía Amigo" (a sculpture of a policeman holding a dove), a bust of Mahatma Gandhi (donated by the government of India, being a replica of a sculpture created by Ram V. Sutar), the Casa Catinchi (a neoclassical mansion restored as part of the plaza's expansion) and the Cubo de Cristal (an event venue built of glass).
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Plaza de la Paz". Cityseeker. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "La nueva plaza" (in Spanish). Barranquilla: Gobernation of Atlántico department. June 28, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "Encuentro del Santo Padre Juan Pablo II con la población de Barranquilla" (in Spanish). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. July 7, 1986. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ "Carlos Gaviria llenó la Plaza de la Paz en Barranquilla" (in Spanish). Bogotá: Alternative Democratic Pole. April 22, 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
- ^ Aldana, Juan (February 5, 2008). "Barranquilla marchó en medio de la fiesta" (in Spanish). Terra Colombia. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
