Columbus Circle Statue Designated National Landmark, Cuomo Says

COLUMBUS CIRCLE, NY — A statue of Christopher Columbus that a city commission considered for removal has been put on\

the National Register of Historic Places, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

The monument — which stands 70-feet-tall in the middle of Columbus Circle — was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places following a unanimous vote by the state Board for Historic Preservation to include the statue on the state registry in September.

"The Columbus Monument is revered by the Italian-American community in New York and stands as a tribute to the ways our state has welcomed immigrants from around the globe," Cuomo said in a statement. "I am proud that we were able to secure this designation, which will help ensure the history of all cultures that make up our uniquely diverse state is always recognized."

The statue was built in 1892 after a fundraising campaign led by Carlo Barsotti, the founder of the first Italian-language newspaper in the United States "Il Progreso." The Italian-American community rallied around the image of Columbus to form an identity and to assimilate into American culture following years of anti-Italian prejudice.

But where some New Yorkers see a symbol of pride, others see a symbol of repression. City leaders such as former Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito led a campaign in 2017 to have the statue removed.

"When we look at history we have to look at it thoroughly and he is a controversial figure," former City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito said in 2017. "I know some people may take offense to that but for many of us that come from the Caribbean islands, we see him as a controversial figure."

The Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments and Markers — established by Mayor Bill de Blasio in the wake of the deadly rally in Charlottesville, Virginia over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee — recommended that the city preserve the statue but add markers to the site to provide additional historic context detailing the actions of Columbus.

A city spokesperson did not immediately respond to Patch's messages when asked whether the new designation will prevent the installation of historic markers at the Columbus Circle site.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images News/Getty Images