Cerro de la Gloria: Mendoza Travel Guide (4.7★)

Bronze, granite and a general on horseback

The summit is one large sculpture. Uruguayan artist Juan Manuel Ferrari designed the Monumento al Ejército de los Andes, and it was inaugurated in 1914. It honours the army José de San Martín led across the Andes in 1817 to free Chile and Peru.

A granite mass rises from the hilltop with bronze figures climbing over it. At the peak, Liberty breaks her chains. Below her, San Martín rides at the head of his troops. Walk all the way round, because the side reliefs tell the campaign:

• The women of Mendoza, the Patricias Mendocinas, sewing the army’s flag
• Fray Luis Beltrán’s workshop, where the expedition’s weapons were forged
• Soldiers and mules hauling cannon over the mountain passes

The view west and east

Move away from the plinth and the hill shows you the city’s layout. To the east, Mendoza’s grid lies flat under its street trees. To the west, the Andes foothills rise behind the monument, so the sculpture and its subject fit in the same frame.

Below you, Parque General San Martín spreads out with its rowing lake, the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas and the Frank Romero Day Greek Theatre. The theatre hosts the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, the grape-harvest festival, in late summer.

Allow 45 minutes to an hour at the top. Add an hour or two if you walk up through the park.

Climbing the hill through the park

Most people start at the Portones del Parque, the ornate park gates at the end of Avenida Emilio Civit. From there the road crosses the park and winds up the hill.

• On foot: budget well over an hour from downtown. The upper road is steep and has little shade.
• By bike: several shops in town rent bikes. The climb is short but steady.
• By taxi or ride-hail: the quickest option, dropping you near the summit terrace.
• Mendoza’s tourist bus: its city circuit usually includes the hill. Check the current route before you buy.

Hours for the summit road and monument are not confirmed here. They can also change with the season. Check with the Mendoza tourism office before heading up, especially if you want to go late in the day.

Sharing the road with cyclists and mate drinkers

The hill road is a training route. Expect cyclists and runners on the bends, mostly on weekend mornings. Walk single file on the edge and listen for bikes coming down fast.

At the top, families and groups often settle on the low walls with a thermos and a mate gourd. Bring your own water and snacks too. Supplies at the summit are not guaranteed, and the park is large.

The monument is a national memorial to the independence campaign. Climbing onto the bronze figures for photos is disrespectful. Take pictures from the terrace steps instead, which also fit Liberty and the mountains into one shot.

Mendoza summers are hot and dry, with strong sun on the exposed hilltop. In midsummer, go early in the morning. In autumn, from March to May, the park’s trees change colour and the air is often clearer. Clear air matters most when the point of the climb is the line of the Andes.