Monumento a la Revolución, Art Deco monument in Cuauhtémoc, Mexico.
Monumento a la Revolución is a 67-meter structure with a central terracotta dome supported by four massive arches in the heart of Mexico City. The arches form open passageways on all four sides, framing a large plaza beneath that is often used for public events and gatherings.
Construction began in 1910 as a legislative palace under President Porfirio Díaz but was abandoned after the Revolution broke out and remained unfinished for decades. In the 1930s, President Lázaro Cárdenas repurposed the project as a monument to the Revolution, retaining the original structure while completing it.
The dome carries sculptures representing independence, agrarian reform, workers' rights and national laws, with each corner symbolizing a different revolutionary ideal. Beneath the structure, a crypt holds the remains of revolutionary heroes Francisco Madero, Venustiano Carranza, Pancho Villa, Plutarco Elías Calles and Lázaro Cárdenas in a space visitors can enter.
Elevators take visitors to an observation deck at the top, offering wide views over the historic center and surrounding neighborhoods. The deck is best visited during clear weather to see the city's expanse and nearby mountains.
Oliverio Martínez created four stone groups at the corners, each showing a figure in traditional dress representing different social groups symbolically. The project was originally intended to be the tallest building in Latin America, but the Revolution interrupted construction and changed its purpose entirely.
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