Estela de Luz

Estela de Luz
("Pillar of Light")

"Estela de Luz" monument and the Torre Mayor in the background
Coordinates 19°25′23″N 99°10′33″W / 19.423048°N 99.175857°W / 19.423048; -99.175857
Location Avenida Paseo de la Reforma at easternmost end of Chapultepec Park (Calle Lieja)
Material quartz
Height 104 meters (341.2 feet)
Beginning date September 22, 2009
Completion date December 31, 2011
Opening date January 7, 2012
Dedicated to Bicentennial of Independence/Centennial of the Revolution
Location of Estela de Luz in Mexico City

The Estela de Luz (Pillar of Light) is a monument in Mexico City built in 2011 to commemorate the bicentenary of Mexico's independence from Spanish rule. Its design was the winning entry in an invited competition to seek the best combination of Mexico's past and future; the design uses quartz and electric lighting to achieve this effect.[1] Though it is a tall structure, it was not built to be the tallest and in fact was built near the Torre Mayor which is one of the tallest buildings in Latin America. The main use of the Estela De Luz will be for cultural events. The monument is popularly known as the suavicrema (a brand of ice cream wafer).

Criticism

The Estela de Luz was criticized for being built late for the main ceremonies and for exceeding the estimated costs by almost three times. Officials noted that the structure needed to be reinforced against earthquakes, similarly to that of the Torre Mayor. This reinforcement, coupled with conflicts between the architect and the construction company, were major reasons for the additional time and expense.[2] Two months after the January 2012 inauguration, the Estela de Luz was tested by the March 2012 Guerrero-Oaxaca earthquake, which it withstood, along with other tall buildings in the area.

References

  1. ↑ Hernandez, Daniel (August 17, 2010). "Bicentennial tower monument delayed in Mexico". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  2. ↑ "La Estela de Luz de la Ciudad de México es inaugurada" (in Spanish). CNN Mexico. January 7, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
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