The Obelisk of Buenos Aires is a National Historic Landmark and an icon of the city. It is located at the Plaza de la República, in the intersection of avenues Corrientes and 9 Julio.
It was constructed in 1936 to celebrate the fourth centenary of the first foundation of the city and inaugurated on 23 May of that year. It was designed by architect Alberto Prebisch (author also of the theatre Gran Rex, located in Corrientes and Suipacha) and built by the German company Siemens Bauunion, in record time of four weeks.
Around 157 workers were needed for the construction of the Buenos Aires Obelisk and s200.000 Pesos Moneda Nacional were spent.
The interior is hollow, but every 8 meters there is a slab with a hole in the middle. These stones leave a void in one corner where a staircase is installed to access to its apex. It has a single entrance door (west side) and there are four windows at its peak.
In order to build the obelisk of Buenos Aires, a church dedicated to San Nicolas de Baril had to be demolished. Here, the argentinian flag had been first officially hoisted. The fact is recalled in one of the inscriptions on the north side.
The obelisk is often used as a meeting place for various demonstrations.
This year, as Argentina celebrates its 200 years of independence, the Obelisk will be adorned with a sculptural staircase and an elevator that will allow visitors to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. The work, by Gaspar Libedinsky, surrounds but does not touch the obelisk. In that way, it remains visible as the main emblem of the city.
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