Old Boots (sculpture)

Las Botas Viejas
Monumento Los Zapatos Viejos
Artist	Tito Lombana, Hector Lombana
Year	1957
Catalogue	Monumento Nacional de Colombia 05-042
Medium	Bronze
Subject	Boots
Location	Cartagena
Coordinates	10°25′17″N 75°32′15″W

Old Boots (Spanish: Las Botas Viejas), also known as the Old Shoes Monument (Spanish: Monumento Los Zapatos Viejos) is a sculpture located in Cartagena, Colombia. The statue was created in honor of Colombian poet Luis Carlos López [es], who, in his poem A mi Ciudad Nativa, compared the city of Cartagena to a pair of old boots.^[1]

History

The sculpture was originally created out of enameled cement by Colombian artist Tito Lombana in 1957.^[2][3] It was located by Media Luna,^[4][5] but was demolished in 1992 to make way for the construction of the Heredia Bridge, and was rebuilt by his brother Hector Lombana in 1994, this time out of bronze.^[6]

There is a replica of the piece at the Cartagena Plaza in Coral Gables, Florida.^[7]

Description

Replica of the statue in Cartagena Plaza in Coral Gables, Florida; it was a gift from the city of Cartagena to Coral Gables

Located in the Getsemaní neighborhood and overlooked by the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, the statue is composed of two large bronze boots with laces, with one standing up straight and the other lying flat on the ground. They are located on cement and are surrounded by pruned bushes.^[8][9]

References

1. "Monumento a los Zapatos Viejos (las Botas Viejas) - Cartagena de Indias". www.cartagenacaribe.com. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
2. "Monumento en Cartagena - Colombia al día No. 22". Señal Memoria. 9 Jun 2021. Retrieved 24 Jul 2023.
3. "Monumento a los Zapatos Viejos". ViajareaColombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-24.
4. Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (1995-06-22). "LAS NUEVAS BOTAS VIEJAS : UN ACIERTO". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-24.
5. "Monumento de Las Botas Viejas". Cartagena de Indias, 1978. "Se observan casas al fondo en la calle de la Media Luna".
6. FONSECA CASTILLO, GERMÁN (7 Feb 2010). "Las botas de aquí pa'lla". www.eluniversal.com.co (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2023-07-24.
7. "Monumento a los Zapatos Viejos – Cartagena de Indias – Elturismoencolombia.com". Colombia (in Spanish). 2018-02-04. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
8. "Monumento a los Zapatos Viejos: Un Símbolo de Resistencia". vivacartagenadeindias.com (in Spanish). 2023-04-23. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
9. "El monumento a las Botas Viejas - Cartagena de Indias". www.cartagena-indias.com. Retrieved 2023-07-24.