Barolo Palace
Introduction
The Palacio Barolo (also called Pasaje Barolo or Galería Barolo) is an office building located on Avenida de Mayo, in the Monserrat neighborhood "Monserrat (Buenos Aires)"), in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was designed by the Italian Mario Palanti and inaugurated in 1923.[1][2] Until the 1930s it was the tallest in the city and second in South America since its 'twin' brother the Palacio Salvo, measuring 105 meters, was the first, built by the same architect in Montevideo. In 1997 it was declared a National Historical Monument.[3] It includes numerous analogies and references to the Divine Comedy, by the poet Dante Alighieri.[2] It was a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete within a peculiar eclectic style. At the top it has a lighthouse with 300,000 candles. It is 100 meters high, occupies an area of 1,365 square meters and its frontage is 30.88 meters.[2].
History
The Italian architect Mario Palanti built this palace at the request of the textile businessman Luis Barolo, even designing the detail elements such as door handles, lamps and elevator cages, in a case of a truly comprehensive concept.
Between July 7, 1923, the date of its inauguration,[1] and 1935 it was the tallest building in the city, having been displaced from first place when the Kavanagh was built. Its height in meters is comparable to that of a current twenty-fourth floor.
Its owner had in mind to build it to use three floors and then rent the others. Today, it functions as an office building (it has more than 300). At the top it has a lighthouse with a 5000 watt lamp, since it was valued in 2010 and declared "Bicentennial Lighthouse." In its beginnings the luminaire was an electric arc with a power of 300,000 candles. The work cost m$n 4,500,000, and 650,000 kilos of steel, 3,500,000 bricks and 70,000 barrels of Portland cement were used.[4].
All the decorative materials inside were imported, such as the Carrara marble used for the coverings. Meanwhile, its facades were covered in imitation Paris stone.
Since the old Arroyo Tercero del Medio flows through the area, piped, it was necessary that the foundations of the building contemplate the passage of the water course. Thus, from the basement of the Barolo Palace it is possible to hear the river running through the pipe.
The construction for its time was a great innovation due to the artistic use of reinforced concrete within a peculiar eclectic style (called by many "romantic"), reminiscent of Gothic and especially Islamic art from India.