Alexander von Humboldt Monument

Monument to Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), co-founder of modern geography.

This monument in Santiago de Chile honours Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), the German polymath and co-founder of modern geography. Humboldt conducted his famous South American expedition from 1799 to 1804, travelling through Venezuela, Cuba, and Mexico while collecting data on climate, botany, and geology. Monuments to Humboldt stand across countries he visited or influenced. Chile recognises him as a pioneer of scientific thinking about the southern hemisphere.