This monument refers to the myth relating to Europe (Europa), daughter of a Phoenician king. Zeus, the father of all gods, was filled with desire for the Phoenician princess when he saw her playing with her companions on the seashore.

To seduce her, Zeus transformed into a beautiful bull. Europe was impressed by the bull's tameness and climbed on its back. Zeus (still as a bull) galloped off and crossed the sea until they reached the island of Crete. Once on the Mediterranean Island, Zeus again assumed his human outward appearance and had three children with Europe.

This mythology represented the beginning of the Asian settlement of Europe. The name for the continent "Europe" comes from this myth.