Ibero American Plaza

Sculptures acknowledging the contribution of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking people to the history of Australia.

6 individual busts carved in alabaster each on top of a sandstone base and arranged in a arc at the top of small steps.

About this program

First conceived in 1986 as a bicentennial project, the Ibero American Plaza began as an idea to acknowledge the contribution of Spanish and Portuguese-speaking people to the history of Australia. It was opened in 1988 and remodelled in 2000 and again in 2019 as part of the Sydney light rail project.

The plaza on Chalmers Street in Surry Hills is home to 11 busts and 2 statues representing significant historical figures and Latin American national heroes. The busts were donated by nations including Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, the Philippines, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay and Venezuela.