The Obelisco de Buenos Aires (
Obelisk
An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by An ...
of Buenos Aires) is a
national historic monument and
icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
. Located in the
Plaza de la República in the intersection of avenues
Corrientes
Corrientes (; Guaraní: Taragüí, literally: "Currents") is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12. It ha ...
and
9 de Julio, it was erected in 1936 to commemorate the quadricentennial of the
first foundation of the city.
History
Construction began on March 20, 1936, and it was finished on May 23 of the same year.
[Julio A. Luqui Lagleyze, ''Plazas de Buenos Aires'', Revista Todo es Historia, Nro 90, noviembre de 1974] It was designed by architect
Alberto Prebisch (one of the main architects of the Argentine modernism who also designed the
Teatro Gran Rex
The Teatro Gran Rex is an Art Deco style theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina which opened on July 8, 1937, as the largest cinema in Argentina.
Located near the centre of the city at 857 Corrientes Avenue, it was designed by the architect Alberto ...
, in Corrientes and Suipacha) at the request of the
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
Mariano de Vedia y Mitre (appointed by president
Agustín Pedro Justo
Agustín Pedro Justo Rolón (26 February 1876 – 11 January 1943) was an Argentine military officer, diplomat and politician, who served as the president of Argentina from 1932 to 1938 during the Infamous Decade. Justo took part in the coup of ...
).
[ For its construction, which cost 200,000 pesos moneda nacional, of concrete and of Olaen white stone from Córdoba were used.]
The obelisk
An obelisk (; from grc, ὀβελίσκος ; diminutive of ''obelos'', " spit, nail, pointed pillar") is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape or pyramidion at the top. Originally constructed by An ...
was built by the German company G.E.O.P.E. - Siemens Bauunion - Grün & Bilfinger, which completed its work in a record time of 31 days, with 157 workers. The rapid hardening Incor cement was used and was built in sections of to facilitate the dumping of concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...
.[''Quisieron Tirarlo abajo, lo salvaron y hoy cumple 75 años.'']
Diario Clarín, 21/05/2011[''Feliz aniversario, el Obelisco cumple 80 años.'']
Diario La Nación,
Its height is , and of these are up to the initiation of the apex, which is . The tip is blunt, measuring and ends in a lightning rod
A lightning rod or lightning conductor (British English) is a metal rod mounted on a structure and intended to protect the structure from a lightning strike. If lightning hits the structure, it will preferentially strike the rod and be conducte ...
that cannot be seen because of the height; its cables run through the interior of the obelisk.
Buenos Aires City Government,
It has only one entrance (on its west side) and on its top there are four window
A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent mat ...
s, that can only be reached by a straight staircase of 206 steps with 7 breaks every .[
On February 20, 1938, ]Roberto María Ortiz
Jaime Gerardo Roberto Marcelino María Ortiz Lizardi (24 September 1886 – 15 July 1942) was the 19th President of Argentina from 20 February 1938 to 27 June 1942.
Ortiz is a little remembered president. He became president in 1938 follow ...
succeeded Justo Justo () is a Spanish surname and male given name meaning ''just'', i.e. ''fair''.
Given name
Notable people with this given name include:
* José Justo Corro (1794-1864), Mexican president
* José Justo Milla (1794–1838), Honduran military lea ...
as President and appointed Arturo Goyeneche as the new mayor of the city. In June 1939 the City Council sanctioned the demolition of the ''Obelisco'', citing economic, aesthetic and public safety reasons. However, the ordinance was vetoed by the municipal executive power, characterizing it as an act without merit and juridical content, because it alters the state of things emanated by the executive power, and that it was a monument under the jurisdiction and custody of the Nation and is part of its heritage.
Infoabae ,
Where the Obelisk stands, there was a church dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari; it was demolished. In that church the Argentine flag
The national flag of the Argentine Republic is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue and white. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors. The flag was created by Manuel Belgran ...
was officially hoisted for the first time in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, in 1812. That fact is noted in one of the inscriptions on the north side of the monument.
Iglesia San Nicolás de Bari
As a result of the detachments of sheets of stone covering, which occurred on the night of June 20–21, 1938, the day after a public event with the presence of president Ortiz took place there. It was decided to remove such cladding in 1943 and was replaced by another one made of polished cement, making cracks to simulate the joints of the stones. When the slabs were removed, a legend that said "Its architect was Alberto Prebisch" was also removed.
Obelisco Official Website,
In 1973, it was decorated as a Christmas tree.[ In 1975, during the Peronist government of Isabel Perón, a ring-shaped rotating sign was hung around the obelisk, with the motto ''El silencio es salud'' (Silence is health). Although it was allegedly geared against motorists creating excessive ]noise
Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference aris ...
, it was widely interpreted as a statement calling Argentines to refrain from expressing their political views.
Página 12,
Throughout its history, the monument has suffered vandalism, especially politically oriented graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
. In the 1980s, an activist group broke in and spilled paint from the top windows, causing the city government to erect a fence around its base in 1987. This move stirred controversy, but eventually proved effective in reducing the number of defacing incidents.
La Nación,
On 1 November 2005 it was announced that a comprehensive restoration, financed by the Argentine painting and restoration industry association (Ceprara), was finished. The monument was painted with 90-micrometre acrylic paint to a "Paris stone" hue, deemed more pleasant than the previously used white.
La Nación,
On December 1, 2005, the obelisk was covered by a giant pink condom to commemorate the World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. The acquired imm ...
.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the La Noche de los Lápices, the monument was converted into a giant pencil.
Lines B, C, and D of the Buenos Aires Metro
The Buenos Aires Underground ( es, Subterráneo de Buenos Aires, links=no), locally known as Subte (), is a rapid transit system that serves the area of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The first section of this network (Plaza de Mayo–Pla ...
have stations near the monument, and are connected by a number of underground passages with commercial galleries.
The Obelisco hosted the opening ceremony of the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
The 2018 Summer Youth Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud de 2018), officially known as the III Summer Youth Olympic Games, and commonly known as Buenos Aires 2018, were an international multi-sport event, sports, cultural, and edu ...
.Clarín
/ref>
Inscriptions on its sides
At the base of the south face, in a very small rectangle, this sonnet written by Baldomero Fernández Moreno during a tribute dinner in the Alvear Palace Hotel
The Alvear Palace Hotel is a luxury hotel located in Avenida Alvear in Recoleta, an upscale neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The hotel was inaugurated in 1932 and, following extensive refurbishment, was reinaugurated in 1994.
History
...
to Prebisch:
::::''El Obelisco''
::::''¿Donde tenía la ciudad guardada''
::::''esta espada de plata refulgente''
::::''desenvainada repentinamente''
::::''y a los cielos azules asestada?''
::::''Ahora puede lanzarse la mirada''
::::''harta de andar rastrera y penitente''
::::''piedra arriba hacia el Sol omnipotente''
::::''y descender espiritualizada.''
::::''Rayo de luna o desgarrón de viento''
::::''en símbolo cuajado y monumento''
::::''índice, surtidor, llama, palmera.''
::::''La estrella arriba y la centella abajo,''
::::''que la idea, el ensueño y el trabajo''
::::''giren a tus pies, devanadera.''
Special occasions
Image:Condom on Obelisk, Buenos Aires.jpg, Covered by a condom on December 1, 2005 for World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. The acquired imm ...
Image:Obelisco de Buenos Aires - 150 aniversario de las relaciones diplomáticas argentino-germanas.jpg, Celebrating 150 years of bilateral relations between Argentina and Germany on September 21, 2007
Image:Bicentenario - Obelisco.jpg, Celebrating the Argentina Bicentennial on May 23, 2010
Image:El Obelisco on Christmas night (5462750219).jpg, On Christmas night, 2010
Image:Obelisco de Buenos Aires sin punta.JPG, "Without peak", after the intervention of artist Leandro Erlich, September 25, 2015
Image:Presentation of the Olympic Rings at the Opening Ceremony for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.jpg, Presentation of the Olympic Rings
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses icons, flags and symbols to elevate the Olympic Games. These symbols include those commonly used during Olympic competition—such as the flame, fanfare and theme—as well as those used throughout ...
at the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics
The 2018 Summer Youth Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de la Juventud de 2018), officially known as the III Summer Youth Olympic Games, and commonly known as Buenos Aires 2018, were an international multi-sport event, sports, cultural, and edu ...
See also
*Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk shaped building within the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and th ...
References
*https://web.archive.org/web/20100603194157/http://otrosmovil.clarin.com/ciudades/capital_federal/Luces-colores-cambian-entorno-Obelisco_0_271772976.html
*https://web.archive.org/web/20110706083419/http://bsas.gov.ar/areas/med_ambiente/obelisco_01.php
External links
Article on restoration
Google Maps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obelisk Of Buenos Aires
Buildings and structures completed in 1936
National Historic Monuments of Argentina
Obelisks in Argentina
Terminating vistas
Tourist attractions in Buenos Aires
Monuments and memorials in Buenos Aires
San Nicolás, Buenos Aires