Olimpo, Former detention center in Vélez Sársfield, Argentina.
Olimpo is a former detention center in Vélez Sársfield, a rectangular building containing multiple functional sections arranged for administration, holding cells, and vehicle inspection areas. The structure preserves the layout and organization of these different zones today.
The facility operated as a hidden detention site from August 1978 to January 1979, holding approximately 700 people during Argentina's military dictatorship. This brief but intense period established it as a symbol of state repression from that era.
The site functions today as a place where visitors encounter survivor testimonies and understand how this chapter shaped the nation's memory. The spaces communicate personal stories rather than abstract historical concepts.
The site is located at the intersection of Olivera and Ramón Falcón streets and is accessible through guided tours that provide deeper context. Visitors should plan time for educational programs to fully grasp the history and its impact.
The entrance once displayed a sign reading 'Welcome to the Olympus of the Gods', a reference that connected the facility's name to ideas of power and control. This dark wordplay masked the reality of suffering that occurred behind those walls.
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