El Ángel

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View of the Monumento a la Independencia (Independence Monument), known by locals as El Ángel (The Angel), in Mexico City, with flowers in the foreground.

The symbol of Mexico City, known as "El Ángel" (The Angel), this gilded Winged Victory on a 45m-high pillar was sculpted for the independence centennial of 1910. Inside the monument are the remains of Miguel Hidalgo, José María Morelos, Ignacio Allende and nine other notables. Thousands of people congregate around the monument on Independence Day, New Year's Eve, for victory celebrations following important Mexican fútbol matches, and occasional free concerts.

It's also a magnet for political demonstrations, and in August 2019 a protest against femicide ended in graffiti on El Ángel to draw attention to the problems of inequality in the country.

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