The Latinomericana Tower has a new museum. This, and the remodeling of its last floors, offer us the opportunity to enjoy the capital in a different way.
Conceived in 1956, it reaches its 50th anniversary remodeled. The changes are on levels 42, 43 and 44, two of these fences with glass on their four faces and one more has a terrace.
From there, you can see the Plaza de la Constitución, with the Cathedral and the National Palace; towards another point you will find the Plaza Tolsá, framed by the Palacio de Minería, the National Museum of Art, the Postal Palace, and in the center of which is the statue of Carlos IV, better known as “El Caballito”.
If you are lucky and the winds let the landscape of the once called "more transparent region" shine, you will perceive, thanks to the modern telescopes Tlatelolco, Chapultepec, the Palacio de Bellas Artes, La Alameda and the Monument to the Revolution, which will serve in his eyes as reference points to identify other attractive places in the Federal District from above.
On the 38th floor is the new museum that with the exhibition "The city and the tower through the centuries" tells the story of this property and the transformations that have occurred in the land on which the building is located. On that place was located, in pre-Hispanic times, the Moctezuma Zoo. Until then, the Aztec tlatoani came to look at the housed animals.
Later, in the Colony, that site was occupied by the San Francisco Convent –the first and largest founded in New Spain–, which was dismantled in the 20th century.
In its historical account, the 38th floor museography exhibits important archaeological pieces found during the construction of the tower. There are, of course, also the biographical profiles of the authors of this project: the architects Manuel de la Colina and Augusto H. Álvarez.
It will be very revealing to know how the challenge of building a skyscraper in a highly seismic area like Mexico City was jumped. The museum gives an account, through multiple photos, instruments, models and plans of these complicated structural and foundation works.
Open to the public from Monday to Sunday, this essential space when arriving at the center of the country, offers guide services, a comfortable cafeteria and a store. With the same ticket you will enter the viewpoint and the museum.
Source: Unknown Mexico No. 367 / September 2007
