Barolo Palace (Palacio Barolo)

Standing on Avenida de Mayo in the heart of Buenos Aires, the Palacio Barolo is one of South America’s most extraordinary examples of symbolic architecture. Completed in 1923 and designed by Italian architect Mario Palanti, this 22-storey building was for a time the tallest skyscraper in South America. But what makes it truly remarkable is the elaborate allegorical programme that structures every element of its design — the entire building is a monumental tribute to Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, a fact only fully revealed on guided tours.

The Dante Connection

The building’s patron, Luis Barolo, was a great admirer of Dante and conceived the Palacio as a monument to the poet’s masterwork. The structure is divided into three sections corresponding to the three canticles of the Divine Comedy: the ground-level base represents Hell, the middle floors represent Purgatory, and the upper section with its lighthouse represents Paradise. The building rises to 100 metres — one metre for each canto of the Comedy. Even the decorative details, from the dragon-head gargoyles at street level to the lotus flowers of the upper floors, encode references to Dante’s text.

Architecture and Design

Mario Palanti designed the Barolo in an eclectic style combining Italian Gothic, Romanesque, and Hindu influences into a uniquely personal vision. The building’s facade is encrusted with decorative reliefs, allegorical figures, and carved details that reward close inspection. Inside, the atrium is floored in Venetian mosaic and topped by a soaring dome. The original lifts and ornate metalwork have been lovingly preserved, making a tour of the interior an immersive journey through early 20th-century craftsmanship at its most ambitious.

The Lighthouse Tour

The highlight of any visit is the guided tour that ascends to the 22nd-floor lighthouse, which on clear evenings projects a powerful beam visible across the Rio de la Plata to Uruguay. The tour explains the Dante symbolism floor by floor and culminates in a 360-degree view over Buenos Aires that reveals the city’s extraordinary urban grid, its parks, and the distant silver line of the river. Tours run several times daily and must be booked in advance, especially for the popular night-time sessions.

Practical Information

• Book guided tours in advance as they fill quickly
• Night tours of the lighthouse are especially popular and dramatic
• The building is located on the magnificent Avenida de Mayo boulevard
• Combine with nearby Cafe Tortoni and the Teatro Colon on the same street

Getting There

The Palacio Barolo is located on Avenida de Mayo 1370 in central Buenos Aires. The nearest Subte station is Lima on Line A (Subte A), which runs directly under Avenida de Mayo. The building is also easily reached on foot from Plaza de Mayo, the Teatro Colon, and the Obelisco, making it a natural part of any walking tour of the city centre.