Monument · Mexico City, Mexico
Angel of Independence
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name El Ángel and officially known as Monumento a la Independencia ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City. Built 1910.
Photo: Carlos Valenzuela via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Mexico City, Mexico |
|---|---|
| Type | Monument |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Antonio Rivas Mercado |
| Coordinates | 19.4270° N, 99.1677° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Angel of Independence is known for
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name El Ángel and officially known as Monumento a la Independencia ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City.
About Angel of Independence
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name El Ángel and officially known as Monumento a la Independencia ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City. El Ángel was built in 1910 during the presidency of Porfirio Díaz by architect Antonio Rivas Mercado, to commemorate the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence. In later years, it was made into a mausoleum for the most important heroes of that war.
History
Construction of the column of independence topped by a depiction of winged victory was ordered in 1900 by President Porfirio Díaz. Antonio Rivas Mercado began to design the monument, envisioned as a column with both classical and modern elements, with bronze statues at its base. The foundation stone was laid on January 2, 1902.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Mexico City |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Licenciado Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) |
| Distance from the airport | 6.2 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) · Mexico City, Mexico · 6.4 miles away
- Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU) · Mexico City, Mexico · 24.0 miles away
- Adolfo López Mateos International Airport (TLC) · Toluca, Mexico · 26.7 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Mexico
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Frequently asked questions
What is Angel of Independence?
The Angel of Independence, most commonly known by the shortened name El Ángel and officially known as Monumento a la Independencia ("Monument to Independence"), is a victory column on a roundabout on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City.
Where is Angel of Independence located?
Angel of Independence is in Mexico City, Mexico. Its coordinates are 19.4270° N, 99.1677° W.
How do I get to Angel of Independence?
The nearest town is Mexico City, and the nearest airport is Licenciado Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX), about 6.2 miles away (straight line).
When was Angel of Independence built?
Angel of Independence was built 1910.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_of_Independence — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q928541 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.