Address: Corrientes 1066 y Av 9 de Julio – San Nicolás
This National Historic Monument situated in Plaza de la República is undoubtedly the symbol of the city, and the “compulsory” reference point for porteños and circumstantial visitors as well.
It was created with regard to the four hundredth anniversary of the first foundation of Buenos Aires, in 1936.
San Nicolas church used to stand in its place; it was there where the national flag was first raised in 1812.
It is 67,5m tall, of a hollow structure. The only way to reach the top is a ladder of 202 iron steps, with no railing.
It was constructed following the inspiration of the architect Alberto Prebisch, in the best geometric purist Egyptian style.
It carries a myriad of rejection stories as well as different mysteries around its meaning. Even when many have suggested its demolition hundreds of times, ridiculed it, or pointed out the nonsense of its existence, it was finally deemed by all porteños a symbol of the intersection of 9 de Julio, Corrientes and Diagonal Norte, and adopted as the place for the best identifying postcard of Buenos Aires.
