The Obelisk of Buenos Aires (Spanish: Obelisco de Buenos Aires) is a modern monument placed at the heart of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Porteños refer to it simply as el obelisco. The Luxor obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris An obelisk is a tall, thin, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramidal top. ... The Taj Mahal, commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, as a mausoleum for his wife, Arjumand Banu Begum. ... Buenos Aires (English: ; originally , City of the Most Holy Trinity and Port of Saint Mary of the Fair Winds;[1] pronounced ) is the capital of Argentina and its largest city and port. ...

The obelisk from street level

A 67 m long "condom" on the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, Argentina, part of an awareness campaign for the 2005 World AIDS Day

The obelisk was built in May 1936 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the city. It is located in the center of the Plaza de la República (Republic Square), the spot where the Argentine flag was flown for the first time in Buenos Aires, at the intersection of Nueve de Julio and Corrientes avenues. Its total height is 67 meters (220 feet) and its base area is 49 square meters (530 square feet). It was designed by architect Alberto Prebisch, and its construction took barely four weeks. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 927 KB)I took this picture while living in Buenos Aires. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x1600, 927 KB)I took this picture while living in Buenos Aires. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1704x2304, 907 KB) Summary This image was originally posted to Flickr as Kondom-obelisk. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1704x2304, 907 KB) Summary This image was originally posted to Flickr as Kondom-obelisk. ... The Red Ribbon is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS. World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the global AIDS epidemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The flag has a 9:14 ratio The ornamental flag The national flag of Argentina dates from 1812. ... View looking south. ...

The obelisk is one of the main icons of the city, and a venue for various cultural activities (usually sponsored by the city government) and other events. It is the traditional gathering spot for sports fans to celebrate when their favourite team wins, especially from the national football team, often resulting in colorful events that attract media coverage. It was also used by several acrobatic troupes to perform high-wire acts. First International Uruguay 2 - 3 Argentina (Montevideo, Uruguay; 16 May 1901) Largest win Argentina 12 - 0 Ecuador (Montevideo, Uruguay; 22 January 1942) Worst defeat Czechoslovakia 6 - 1 Argentina (Helsingborg, Sweden; 15 June 1958) Uruguay 5 - 0 Argentina (Guayaquil, Ecuador; 16 December 1959) Argentina 0 - 5 Colombia (Buenos Aires, Argentina; 5...

Throughout its history, the obelisk has suffered vandalism, especially politically-oriented graffiti. In the 1980s, an activist group broke in and spilled paint from the top windows, causing the city government to erect a fence around its base. This move stirred controversy, but eventually proved effective in reducing the number of defacing incidents. Graffiti is the application of media on publicly viewable surfaces. ...

For some time during the 1970s, during the Peronist government of Isabel Martínez de Perón, a ring-shaped sign was hung around the obelisk, with the motto El silencio es salud (Silence is health). Although it was allegedly geared against motorists creating excessive noise, it was widely interpreted as a statement calling Argentines to refrain from expressing their political views. Peronism (Spanish: Peronismo), or Justicialism (Spanish: Justicialismo), is an Argentine political ideology based on the ideas and programs associated with former president Juan Perón. ... María Estela Martínez de Perón (born on February 4, 1931, in La Rioja, Argentina) better known as Isabel Martínez de Perón would become the third wife of Argentine President Juan Perón and serve as President of Argentina in her own right from July 1... NOiSE is a one volume manga created by Tsutomu Nihei as a prequel to his acclaimed ten-volume work, Blame!. It offers some rather sketchy information concerning the Megastructures origins and initial size, as well as the origins of Silicon life. ...

For the 2005 World AIDS Day, the monument was covered with a giant pink condom.[1] To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the so-called La Noche de los Lapices, the monument was converted into a giant pencil. [2]]. The Red Ribbon is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS. World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the global AIDS epidemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. ... A 67 m long condom on the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, Argentina, part of an awareness campaign for the 2005 World AIDS Day A condom is a device, usually made of latex, or more recently polyurethane, that is used during sexual intercourse. ...

On 01 November 2005 it was announced [3] that a comprehensive restoration, financed by the Argentine painting and restoration industry association (Ceprara), was finished. The monument was painted wih 90-micrometre acrylic paint to a "Paris stone" hue, deemed more pleasant than the previously used white. November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Lines Line B, Line C, and Line D of the Buenos Aires Metro have stations near the obelisk, and are connected by a number of underground passages with commercial galleries. Línea B Opened on 17 October 1930, 8. ... Línea C Opened on 9 November 1934, 4. ... Facultad de Medicina station Línea D Opened on 3 June 1937, 10. ... Vintage subway entrance on original Line A on Avenida de Mayo The Buenos Aires Metro (locally known as el subte, from subterráneo) is a mass-transit network that serves the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. ...

See also

• Teatro Colón (located 300 m to the north of the obelisk)
• Florida Street (crosses Corrientes 400 m to the east of the obelisk)
• Tourism in Argentina
• Tourism in Buenos Aires

Night shot of the Colon Theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina. ... Florida is a pedestrian street in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. ... Tourism in Argentina is favored by its ample and varied natural assets (made possible by its geographical extension), by its cultural offer, and (since the devaluation of the Argentine peso after the 2001 crash) by its high exchange rate to foreign currencies. ... Night shot of the Colon Theatre in Buenos Aires, Argentina The most popular tourist sites are found in the historic city core, comprising Monserrat and San Telmo. ...

External links

• Short clips showing the obelisk
• Article on restoration (Spanish)