Edificio Río de Janeiro, Residential structure in Colonia Roma, Mexico City.
Edificio Río de Janeiro is a residential building in Colonia Roma with distinctive red brick walls and a prominent conical roof. It stands at the intersection of Durango and Orizaba streets and preserves its original exterior architecture.
The building was commissioned in 1908 by Porfirio Díaz for the Independence Centennial celebration and initially functioned as a luxury hotel. It was later converted into residential use and underwent interior renovation in 1942.
The building inspired Sergio Pitol's Herralde Prize-winning novel 'El desfile del amor', which depicts the structure within its neighborhood context. Residents and visitors sense the literary connection that anchors this place in the cultural scene.
The building is best viewed from street level, where its architectural features are visible from multiple angles. As a private residential building, interior access is not public, but the exterior facade can be observed from nearby streets.
Locals call the building 'The Witches' House' because facial features on its facade resemble a witch's face. The German church-inspired pointed roof reinforces this distinctive visual impression.
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