Monumento Canto a la Argentina: A Tribute to Rubén Darío

The Monumento Canto a la Argentina, located in the Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires, is a tribute to Rubén Darío, a Nicaraguan poet and a leading figure in the Spanish-American literary movement of Modernism. The monument stands in Plaza Rubén Darío, formerly Plaza Urquiza, which was renamed in 1997 in honor of the poet. The sculpture was created by the Argentine artist José Fioravanti. It was originally erected in 1967 and later moved to its current location in 1997. The monument commemorates the centennial of the May Revolution of 1810, for which Darío was commissioned by the newspaper La Nación to write a commemorative piece. Darío responded with the poem "Canto a la Argentina," an extensive work of over 1,000 verses. The poem celebrates Argentina as a welcoming land for immigrants from around the world and praises the Pampa, Buenos Aires, and the Río de la Plata as symbols of the nation's prosperity. The sculpture itself embodies the spirit of Argentina, linking its pampas, Buenos Aires, and the Río de la Plata as symbols of prosperity. The swan, a recurring symbol in Darío's poetry, is also featured, representing beauty and, at times, the poet himself.