Look for the Monumento al Ovejero (Sheepdog Monument), an important monument and artistic feature of Punta Arenas. It depicts a rural worker engaged in the harsh activities that contributed to the wealthy livestock industry of southern Chile. Designed by Chilean sculptor Gérman Montero Carvallo, the monument was inaugurated during the 1944 centennial celebrations of Chile’s occupation of the Strait of Magellan.
Walk up to the monument to observe it closely. It stretches for about 100 feet (30 metres) and includes 12 life-size sculptures. At the rear of the monument is a shepherd with a horse and his faithful sheepdog. Walking in front of them is a herd of nine sheep. Note the intricate detail of the shepherd’s coat and hat, which appear to be blowing in the wind.
Interestingly, the monument is part of an artistic performance together with the poem El Ovejero de mi Tierra. Written by local poet José Grimaldi, the poem describes the shepherd as a symbol of national pride. Read the poem in Spanish or find a local resident who can briefly paraphrase it in English.
If you are visiting Punta Arenas during winter, be sure to see the monument with a covering of snow, resembling conditions the shepherds faced in winter. In summer, you’ll often see people going on picnics and sitting in the sun on the surrounding green lawns.
Find the monument on Avenida Bulnes, about a 10-minute drive or 25-minute walk from Plaza Muñoz Gamero in Punta Arenas’ city centre. Shared taxis stop close to the monument. Free parking is available on the side streets that lead from Avenida Bulnes.
Combine your visit to the Monumento al Ovejero with a walk to nearby Punta Arenas Cemetery. Spot the sombre graves of immigrants and extravagant mausoleums of famous city residents such as Patagonia pioneer and Russian immigrant Sara Braun. A map inside the main entrance details the cemetery’s most noteworthy landmarks.
