Torre de los Ingleses
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'Torre de los Ingleses or Torre Monumental is a tower located in Retiro, Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was constructed by British residents of the city to commemorate the centenary of the May Revolution of 1810.
After the Falklands war the tower was renamed Torre Monumental, but the citizens of the city still call it Torre de los Ingleses.
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[edit] History
On September 18, 1909 the Congreso Nacional de Argentina passed law N° 6368, an offer by the British residents of Buenos Aires to erect a monumental column to commemorate the centenary of the May Revolution.
In 1910 the Salón del Bon Marché hosted an exhibition of proposals, the winner was Ambrose Poynter, nephew of the founder of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The tower was built by Hopkins y Gardom, with materials shipped from England.
After the death of Edward VII on May 6, 1910 Britain did not send a delegation to the Centenary celebrations, so that the first stone was not laid until November 26. The inauguration of the building took place on May 24, 1916 and was attended by President Victorino de la Plaza and British dignitaries.
[edit] Description
The tower is built in Palladian style, the building is decorated with symbols of the British empire and features the thistle of Scotland, the English rose, the Welsh dragon and the Irish shamrock.
The tower reaches a height of 75.50 m (247 ft 81⁄2 in) and has eight floors. There are clocks at 35 m (114 ft 10 in), which were vandalised during the Falklands war. The bells imitate the bells of Westminster Abbey.
The tower is topped by an octagonal copper roofed cupola. Above the entrance there are the shields of Argentina and Great Britain and the inscription "al gran pueblo argentino, los residentes británicos, salud, 25 de mayo 1810-1910" (To the health of the Great Argentine city and the British residents, May 25 1810-1910).
[edit] Recent times
During the government of Fernando de la Rúa the tower underwent restoration. Public access was restored and a glass lift to the 6th floor utilising the original British machinery was opened. The 6th floor features a small exhibition of elements of the original lift and a view over the district of Retiro, Retiro railway station and Buenos Aires port. It is also possible to see the pendulum of the tower clock on the 7th floor.
In 2006 the building was closed to the public for technical maintenance.
[edit] References
- Berjman, Sonia (2003). Plaza San Martín. ISBN 987-20641-0-5.
