This giant pillar was built to mark the 400th anniversary of the city’s inception. Now, it stands as the most famous icon in Buenos Aires.
The Obelisco stands tall in the center of Buenos Aires. It is perhaps the city’s most recognizable icon. The large stone pillar surrounded by lights and electric screens draws comparisons with New York’s Times Square. The column itself resembles the Washington Monument.
It was built in 1936 to mark the fourth century since the city’s inception. In all, the Obelisco is 221.5 feet (67.5 meters) tall. It is often decorated to celebrate holidays and events.
Gaze up at the giant structure from any location around the city center it dwarfs the buildings around it. Learn about current events from the temporary decorations of the landmark. For example, in 2005, the Obelisco was dressed in a giant condom to mark World AIDS Day. It is also regularly modified to celebrate anniversaries and other events.
Read the sonnet by the poet Baldomero Fernández Moreno at the base of the monument.
Dine at one of many upscale restaurants in the area. Nightlife at nearby bars and clubs in the San Telmo and Puerto Madero areas can provide an exciting evening.Several engravings at the pillar’s foot inform the public about the Obelisco.
The modernist architect Alberto Prebisch designed the monument in 1936. Remarkably, it took only 31 days to complete. It was the first site in the city to raise the Argentine flag, in 1812. Look around for a large blue and white flag symbolizing the country’s independence for over 200 years.
Find the Obelisco in the Plaza de la República in the center of Buenos Aires. It stands between the large avenues of Corrientes and 9 de Julio. Many claim that the latter is the widest avenue in the world. Both these roads have major transportation connections by metro and bus, so the area is particularly accessible. Finding a taxi in the street to take you to the Obelisco is also easy. Since this location is so central to the city, you’ll find many hotels, restaurants and bars nearby.
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