Elebaires in the Beautiful Palacio Barolo!

Did you know that Elebaires Spanish School is located in one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in the whole of Buenos Aires? The Barolo Palace, or Palacio Barolo as it is known here, can be found at 1370 Avenida de Mayo in microcentro. Its central location means that it is just a few block away from Plaza del Congreso, the Obelisco and Teatro Colon. Our beautiful Palacio Barolo is also a bit of a tourist attraction, with guided tours operating every day!

Now time for a bit of history. The Palacio Barolo was originally commissioned by wealthy Italian immigrant Luis Barolo in 1919. The building itself has a unique, eclectic style taking inspiration from Art Deco and Art Nouveau as well as Gothic Architecture. The building has a total of 22 floors and is 100 metres tall! In fact, when the building was completed in 1923 it was the tallest building in the whole of South America!

Fans of Dante’s famous Divine Comedy will be interested to know that the layout of the building is actually based on his writings of Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. Barolo and the architect Mario Palanti were both great admirers of Dante’s work, so designed the building as homage to him. The basement and ground floor of the building are meant to represent Hell, then floors 1 to 14 are Purgatory, and 15 to 22 represent Heaven.

Interestingly, just one block away in Plaza del Congreso, there is a version of Auguste Rodin’s famous sculpture called ‘The Thinker’. Rodin, a famous French sculptor, only made 8 original casts of this sculpture, and this is one of them! This sitting man was also originally based on the Divine Comedy by Dante, linking it to the interior of our beloved Palacio Barolo!

In terms of the architecture of the building, it is difficult to pin-point its exact style; however it does combine different types of famous European architecture. The buildings interior and exterior are bold and daring, unlike any other building in Buenos Aires. They symbolize a creative mind with a Renaissance spirit. The lobby is huge and grand, and the stairways are covered in Italian Carrara marble.

This building is something you have to experience in person. So next time you’re in Buenos Aires, come down to Avenida de Mayo to appreciate the Palacio Barolo in all its glory. Elebaires students are the only students in the whole of Buenos Aires who have the privilege of learning Spanish in such an amazing building!