City agrees to trade for monument replicas

Historic City News learned that replicas of the Spanish constitution monument in the plaza will be provided to the cities of Cadiz and Aviles, Spain; as part of an agreement reached by St. Augustine City Commissioners during their meeting last night.

In exchange for access to voluminous Spanish colonial archives in Cadiz and a replica model of Pedro Menendez’ flagship, San Pelayo, from Aviles, the city will trade molds cast from the obelisk monument near the center of the plaza.

Funding will be sought from private sector sources.

City Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline said one estimate to create a mold was $21,500.

The monuments could be cast here or the mold sent to Spain for casting at each city.

Aviles is St. Augustine Founder Pedro Menendez’ birthplace, while Cadiz was a trade center for the colonial Spanish Empire.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News archive photograph