This monument built in 1886 by Gaietà Buïgas, commemorates the welcome that the Catholic Monarchs accorded Christopher Columbus on his return from his first voyage to America. A great column carries the statue of the Genoese navigator. The prestige attributed to it by the people of Barcelona has made it one of the monuments identifying the city today. Wonderful panoramic view over the city from the top of the narrow tower 52m up (best avoided if you have claustrophobia or a fear of heights).