Barolo Palace, Skyscraper in Monserrat, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Barolo Palace is a tower in the Monserrat neighborhood of Buenos Aires, standing 100 meters tall with 22 floors built from reinforced concrete. The upper dome holds a lighthouse with a rotating light beam visible at night.
Italian architect Mario Palanti completed this structure in 1923, making it the tallest building in South America. It held this record until 1935, when other taller constructions rose in the region.
The name comes from Italian businessman Luigi Barolo, who commissioned the building as a personal tribute to Dante's literary journey. The internal stairway coils upward through the interior, recalling the ascent through the nine circles of the underworld to the heavenly dome room.
Guided tours allow access to different floors and the lighthouse at the top, offering views toward Avenida de Mayo and the Congress building. The visit takes around an hour and follows a set route through stairways and elevators.
The tower spire aligns with the Southern Cross constellation on July 9, Argentine Independence Day, following astronomical calculations. This alignment came from the precise positioning of the dome during construction in the early 20th century.
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