The Obelisco de Buenos Aires, a national historic monument and icon of the capital of Argentina, located in the bustling Plaza de la República, at the interesection of Corrientes and 9 de Julio avenues in the San Nicolás neighborhood, erected in 1936 to commemorate the quadricentennial of the first foundation of the city opened a viewpoint to offer the best panoramic metropolis' views.
To reach 67.5 metres in height, an elevator was installed with one side glazed and the other with a screen and it goes up in a minute and the work was carried out by a huge crane with two operators.
Since its inauguration in 1936, Buenos Aires has been governed by 34 mayors and 6 heads of government. Finally the project of the Tucumán architect Alberto Prebisch was completed with a height of 67.5 metres, a base of 6.8 metres per side and an approximate weight of 170 tons.
Today the building is a National Historic Monument, a symbol of the city, it must to be protected, and its exterior has to be preserved. Originally it was covered with slabs of white calcareous stones from Córdoba, which in 1939 were replaced by plaster because some of them came off.
The Obelisco, Buenos Aires' postcard to the world in the day of its inauguration which took place on 23rd May 1936, witnessed the words of the mayor of the city, Mariano de Vedia y Mitre who said that the Obelisco, will be over the years, the most authentic documernt of this glorious splendor of the fourth centenary of the city founded by Don Pedro de Mendoza.
Within the classic lines on which it stands, this obelisk is like the materialization of the soul of Buenos Aires that reaches out to the heights, that rises above itself to reveal itself to other people and that from here proclaims its solidarity with them.
The project to incorporate an elevator inside the Obelisco has existed since the very moment the architect Prebisch devised it. Mayor de Veida y Mitre in a letter dated 4th May 1936 addressed to Dr. Ramón S. Castillo, temporarily in charge of the Ministry of the Interior of Argentina stated that there is the purpose of providing it with an internal elevator that allows people to access the top of monument.
The inauguration of the elevator and the viewpoint saw the presence of the Head of Government Jorge Macri, accompanied by his wife, journalist Maria Belén Ludueña, the Deputy of the Government Clara Muzzio, the Minister of Public Space Ignacio Baistrocchi, and the President of the City Tourism Entity, Valentín Diaz Gillingan.
The Head of the Government said that this great engineering projects revalues one of the symbols of Buenos Aires. The panoramic viewpoint is a new tourist attraction that will change the way to see the city and its heritage as in the great metropolies of the world.
The Deputy Chief Clara Muzzio said that the Obelisco is entered from the Plaza de La Republica and the elevator is accessed through 8 steps and is supported by a system of anchors and there is a metal staircase around in the case of emergency and what makes this place special is the view, there is no other point in the city from where you can see it like this.
The Minister of Public Space and Urban Hygiene, Ignacio Baistrocchi stated that when you get off of the elevator you have to climb 35 steps to reach the viepoint. There are four windows to enjoy the views of the City and the elevator was installed without affecting the monument at all.
Conditioned electrical installations were established and the floor was adapted to fix the spiral staircase and the metal structure, while the elevator entered in parts and was assembled inside, because the original door is the only point of entry.
The President of Tourism Board of the City of Buenos Aires alentín Diaz Gillingan, commented that the viewpoint is a unique opportunity of offering visitors an experience that goes beyond the typical photo with the monument. Thanks to the joint work with the private sector, tourists will be able to access to an unparalleled panoramic views.
During the month of May, and for the anniversary of the Obelisco, there will be free visits for neighbors with limited space. ENTUR, the Board of Tourism of the City Government of Buenos Aires, is working on a bidding process for the operation of the viewpoint, which will include a museographic proposal.
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