Prince Henry the Navigator (statue)

Prince Henry the Navigator is an historic statue located on a traffic median at the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Pleasant Street in the Flint Village section of Fall River, Massachusetts.

Prince Henry the Navigator
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41°41′27″N 71°7′56″W / 41.69083°N 71.13222°W / 41.69083; -71.13222
LocationPleasant Street at Eastern Avenue
DesignerAristide Berto Cianfarani
Materialbronze, Fall River granite
Completion date1940

The statue by Aristide Berto Cianfarani was erected in 1940 by people from New England of Portuguese descent to mark the 800 year anniversary of the Portuguese National Organization in 1140, and as a tribute to Prince Henry the Navigator (1394–1460), whose explorations and scientific accomplishments beaconed the ocean route to India and opened the gateway of the Atlantic Ocean for the eventual exploration of the American continents.[1]

The base of the statue was constructed from remains of the former Fall River Customhouse and United States Post Office which were demolished in the early 1930s.[citation needed]

The statue was nominated by local and state historical commissions but denied placement on the National Register of Historic Places by the Department of the Interior in 1983.[2]

Statue and mosaic

In the 1980s the traffic island surrounding the base of the statue was redecorated with a stone mosaic pattern with waves and other nautical themed-items.[citation needed]

In 2002, a copy of the statue was erected in Belgrave Square, London, across from the Portuguese embassy.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ From plaque on base of statue
  2. ^ Giza, Patricia (1984). A Guide Book to Fall River's National Register Properties. Fall River, MA: The City.
  3. ^ "Statue: Henry the Navigator statue". London Remembers. London Remembers. Retrieved 27 March 2018. A duplicate of the statue is located at Fall River, Massachusetts
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