Torre de los Ingleses
Encyclopedia
Torre Monumental and before 1982 Torre de los Ingleses (Tower of the English) is a clock tower located in the barrio (district) of Retiro
, Buenos Aires
, Argentina
. It is situated in the Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina (formerly Plaza Británica) next to the Rua San Martín and Avenida del Libertador
. It was a gift from the local British community to the city in commemoration of the centennial of the May Revolution
of 1810.
After the Falklands War
in 1982, the tower was renamed Torre Monumental, though some still call it Torre de los Ingleses.
passed Law N° 6368, consisting of an offer by the British residents of Buenos Aires to erect a monumental column to commemorate the centenary of the May Revolution.
Although the centenary monument was initially considered to be a column it ultimately took the form of the tower.
An 1910 exhibition of project proposals at the Salón del Bon Marché, today the Galerías Pacífico
, resulted in the jury's award to English architect Sir Ambrose Macdonald Poynter (1867–1923), nephew of the founder of the Royal Institute of British Architects
. The tower was built by Hopkins y Gardom, with materials shipped from England
such as the white Portland stone
and the Leicester type brick
s. The technical personnel responsible for the construction also came from England.
The sudden death of King Edward VII on May 6, 1910, prompted the United Kingdom
to cancel its delegation to the Centenary celebrations
, and the cornerstone was not laid until November 26. Other delays that followed were due to the late vacationing of the gas company that was installed in the square in 1912 and the outbreak of World War I
in 1914. The inauguration of the building took place on May 24, 1916 and was attended by the President of Argentina
Victorino de la Plaza
and British dignitaries led by the minister plenipotentiary Reginald Tower.
and features the thistle of Scotland, the English rose, the Welsh dragon and the Irish shamrock.
The tower reaches a height of and has eight floors. There are clocks at the level, and the bells were designed in imitation of the ones at 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 people, from the British residents, May 25, 1810-1910').
explosion at the base of the tower, in November 1984 (though the monument sustained only minor damage). During the government of Mayor Fernando de la Rúa
(1996-99), the tower underwent extensive 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 terminal and the Port of Buenos Aires
; the clock pendulum is accessible on the 7th floor.
In 2006 the building was closed to the public for technical maintenance, though the building is occasionally painted with anti-British graffiti.
Retiro, Buenos Aires
Retiro is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Located in the northeast end of the city, Retiro is bordered on the south by the Puerto Madero and San Nicolás wards, and on the west by the Recoleta ward.-Urban character:...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It is situated in the Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina (formerly Plaza Británica) next to the Rua San Martín and Avenida del Libertador
Avenida del Libertador
Avenida del Libertador is one of the principal thoroughfares in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and in points north, extending 25 km from the Retiro District of Buenos Aires to the northern suburb of San Fernando.-History:...
. It was a gift from the local British community to the city in commemoration of the centennial of the May Revolution
Argentina Centennial
The Argentina Centennial was celebrated on May 25, 1910. It was the 100th anniversary of the May Revolution, when viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros was ousted from office and replaced with the Primera Junta, the first national government.-Context:...
of 1810.
After the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in 1982, the tower was renamed Torre Monumental, though some still call it Torre de los Ingleses.
History
On September 18, 1909 the Argentine National CongressArgentine National Congress
The Congress of the Argentine Nation is the legislative branch of the government of Argentina. Its composition is bicameral, constituted by a 72-seat Senate and a 257-seat Chamber of Deputies....
passed Law N° 6368, consisting of an offer by the British residents of Buenos Aires to erect a monumental column to commemorate the centenary of the May Revolution.
Although the centenary monument was initially considered to be a column it ultimately took the form of the tower.
An 1910 exhibition of project proposals at the Salón del Bon Marché, today the Galerías Pacífico
Galerías Pacífico
Galerías Pacífico is a shopping centre in Buenos Aires, Argentina, located at the intersection of Florida Street and Córdoba Avenue.-Overview:...
, resulted in the jury's award to English architect Sir Ambrose Macdonald Poynter (1867–1923), nephew of the founder of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
. The tower was built by Hopkins y Gardom, with materials shipped from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
such as the white Portland stone
Portland stone
Portland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
and the Leicester type brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s. The technical personnel responsible for the construction also came from England.
The sudden death of King Edward VII on May 6, 1910, prompted the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to cancel its delegation to the Centenary celebrations
Exposición Internacional del Centenario (1910)
The Exposición International del Centenario was an exhibition held between May and November 1910 in Buenos Aires, to mark the centennial of the May Revolution in Argentina...
, and the cornerstone was not laid until November 26. Other delays that followed were due to the late vacationing of the gas company that was installed in the square in 1912 and the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914. The inauguration of the building took place on May 24, 1916 and was attended by the President of Argentina
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
Victorino de la Plaza
Victorino de la Plaza
Victorino de la Plaza y Palacios was President of Argentina from 9 August 1914 to 11 October 1916.Second son of José Roque Mariano de la Plaza Elejalde and Manuela de la Silva Palacios; his older brother, Rafael de la Plaza, was also a politician and acted as governor of Santiago del Estero...
and British dignitaries led by the minister plenipotentiary Reginald Tower.
Description
The tower is built in Palladian style, the building is decorated with symbols of the British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
and features the thistle of Scotland, the English rose, the Welsh dragon and the Irish shamrock.
The tower reaches a height of and has eight floors. There are clocks at the level, and the bells were designed in imitation of the ones at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
The tower is topped by an octagonal copper roofed cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
. 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 people, from the British residents, May 25, 1810-1910').
Recent times
Bitterness over the defeat in the Falklands War triggered vandalism against the clocks at the time, and a dynamiteDynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
explosion at the base of the tower, in November 1984 (though the monument sustained only minor damage). During the government of Mayor Fernando de la Rúa
Fernando de la Rúa
Fernando de la Rúa is an Argentine politician. He was president of the country from December 10, 1999 to December 21, 2001 for the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education ....
(1996-99), the tower underwent extensive 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, Buenos Aires
Retiro is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Located in the northeast end of the city, Retiro is bordered on the south by the Puerto Madero and San Nicolás wards, and on the west by the Recoleta ward.-Urban character:...
, Retiro railway terminal and the Port of Buenos Aires
Port of Buenos Aires
The Port of Buenos Aires is the principal maritime port in Argentina. Operated by the Administración General de Puertos , a State enterprise, it is the leading transshipment point for the foreign trade of Argentina....
; the clock pendulum is accessible on the 7th floor.
In 2006 the building was closed to the public for technical maintenance, though the building is occasionally painted with anti-British graffiti.