Àngel Custodio, Puebla

Ángel Custodio is a large outdoor sculpture by Mexican artist Enrique Carbajal, better known as Sebastián. Inaugurated on November 7, 2003, it rises 17 metres and is made of iron, with a yellow acrylic enamel finish that includes bronze. Its vivid colour and abstract form make it stand out clearly against the surrounding historic setting.

The sculpture represents a guardian angel embracing the city, though it does not resemble a traditional winged figure. Sebastián used sharp geometry, open curves, and a strong vertical form to suggest protection, movement, and civic presence. Its meaning is linked to the Temple of the Holy Angel Custodian of Analco, whose dedication to the Santo Ángel Custodio helped inspire the work.

Since its installation, Ángel Custodio has attracted both recognition and criticism. Some people see it as a bold contemporary symbol, while others initially mocked its abstract shape, even giving it nicknames such as “the monument to the fallopian tubes.” At its base, a time capsule holds letters and wishes written by citizens in 2003. It is meant to be opened on April 16, 2031, the 500th anniversary of the city’s founding, giving the sculpture a direct link between public memory, local identity, and the future.