The Ministry of Culture declared on March 14 that eight movable cultural assets located in the Monumental Zone of Callao have been designated as National Cultural Heritage, according to Vice Ministerial Resolution No. 065-2026-VMPCIC/MC. The declaration covers sculptural monuments and ornamental fountains owned by the Provincial Municipality of Callao, which are part of the city’s historic urban landscape.
The decision recognizes the historical, social, and artistic value of these assets for the collective memory of Callao’s citizens. Among the recognized works are the “Bust of Parish Priest Pedro Touvat” by sculptor Diego de Ocaña (1893–1980); the “Monument to José Gálvez Egusquiza” by Luis Felipe Agurto Olaya (1898–1967); the “Monument to Don José de San Martín” by Lodovico Agostino Marazzani Visconti (1853–1914); and the “Monument to Miguel Grau and those Fallen in the Battle of Angamos,” created by Paolo Bertolini (1859–1930).
The declaration also includes sculptures such as “Cristóbal Colón” and “Cruz Blanca,” both by anonymous artists, as well as two ornamental fountains: one donated by the English Steam Navigation Company and inaugurated on July 28, 1866, and another built under orders from President Ramón Castilla in 1848.
According to the Ministry, these assets help illustrate historical, artistic, and social processes linked to Callao’s development. Their installation in public spaces was driven by civil organizations and government programs aimed at promoting public art and commemorating significant figures and events from national and local history.
The sculptures and fountains serve as material testimonies preserving symbolic values associated with patriotism, civic spirit, and religious fervor. They contribute to strengthening collective identity among residents of Callao. Today, these works remain visual landmarks in public spaces that allow people to recognize and remember key moments in the history of Peru’s Constitutional Province.
