The quirky, architecturally distinctive Palacio Salvo building is the work of Italian architect Mario Palanti. The building is located in the heart of Montevideo, Uruguay, and still divides public opinion today. The Neo-Renaissance combined with Gothic and Art Nouveau elements allude to another Palanti project, the Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires. Both projects are a precocious homage to Dante’s work. There are legends in Montevideo that this ‘Uruguayan PAC’ was meant to symbolise a great alchemical machine.
The immortal tango
At the beginning of the 20th century, the area of Plaza Independencia, Montevideo’s main market, was characterised by low buildings and sporadic greenery. It was the site of all the city’s cultural activities. The colonnades of the market housed numerous patisseries, including the Confiteria La Giralda premises. In 1916. Gerardo Matos Rodríguez wrote his famous tango ‘La Cumparsita’ there.
In the 1920s, the plot of land on the square where the Confeteria stood was bought by three brothers of Italian origin – José, Ángel and Lorenzo Salvo. The wealthy family had made their fortune in Montevideo, and the Palacio Salvo was intended as a form of thanks for the Uruguayan hospitality. It should be noted at this point that, at certain times, Italian immigration to Uruguay and Argentina was on a par with that of Spain. Italian could have become the second national language of both countries, but the mixing of Spanish and Italian families determined the dominance of Spanish.
The construction of Palacio Salvo lasted from 1923 to 1928, and the original plans of the investors were to create a hotel in it. However, the idea proved unprofitable, so most of the floors were converted into flats. The cultural past of the plot has remained in place with the Tango Museum, located on the ground floor of Palacio Salvo. There is also a radio station on the mezzanine floor. It is worth mentioning that, since the 1930s, the skyscraper has hosted meetings of various well-known people connected with cultural institutions throughout Latin America. Among the critics, narrators, poets and actors, there were also dancers fine-tuning the next tangos. Dances could be held in a large ballroom lined with a floor with an alchemical motif.
The eighth circle of hell
The architecture of the building is an apparent chaos. On one side are noticeable neo-Renaissance balusters and thick pilasters, while on the other are smooth arches without decoration. The building is dominated by delicate, rounded shapes reminiscent of Art Nouveau. The arcades with cross-ribbed vaults and mascarons, on the other hand, can be attributed to the Gothic style. In addition, the long bay windows with balconies and the mansard roof of the lower block can be associated with eclectic townhouses of the late 19th century.
The whole is meant to resemble a machine rising above the city or even a Dantean beast. The inspiration of Dante’s works can be seen, for example, in the ornamented capitals. The ornaments carved in metal, reminiscent of monsters and primordial sea life, are meant to allude to the alchemical fascinations of the late Middle Ages. Along the arcades, one can also read quotations from the “Divine Comedy”. The most daring theories claim that the domes on the roof of the tower are a symbol of the great alchemical furnace, combining substances into something new. The works of this architectural alchemy, in this case, are the monsters adorning the Palcio Salvo and Palanti’s other work, the Palacio Barolo. On top of the largest dome, there was also to be a large mirror through which light signals could be sent. The plan was not realised, but the mystery of the architect’s intentions still puzzles residents today.
The reference to Dante is quite obvious, but not entirely consistent. The poet considered alchemists to be frauds and charlatans who got rich by lying. It was for them that the author reserved the eighth circle of hell. So aren’t homage to Dante and alchemy contradictory ideas?
Intercity tribute to immigration
The similarities between Buenos Aires and Montevideo are still noticeable today. Mario Palanti alluded with the design of Palacio Salvo to Argentina’s Palacio Barolo, also of his own making. Little, the palace in Buenos Aires was commissioned by an entrepreneur of Italian origin, Luis Barolo. His building has a central tower with cylindrical decorations and a dome with a small lantern. There is still time for a detailed description of Palacio Barolo, but it is worth mentioning that the decorations inside the building allude to mythical monsters, freemasonry, the colours of the Italian flag and the work of Dante. Barolo wanted his building to house the ashes of Italy’s most famous poet.
Another consistent theme between the two buildings is the homage to immigration. Barolo believed that Europe was in decline and that the only hope for the people of the Old Continent was to emigrate to the Americas. Hence the national colour scheme inside Palacio Barolo. The Palacio Salvo, on the other hand, features one of the largest stained glass windows in the capital depicting a variation on a painting by Russian painter Ilya Riepin. “Burlaks on the Volga” is a work depicting maritime transport workers (burlaks) towing a ship to shore. Palacio Salvo’s interpretation of this painting depicts immigrants towing a ship arriving in the coveted paradise. The stained glass window is full of vibrant colours, while the original was painted in muted but warm colours.
Corbusier’s Monstrosity
In the 1970s, the building began to decline for political and economic reasons, and by the 1990s Palacio Salvo was in urgent need of renovation. Thanks to the actions of local residents, the building was saved from further deterioration. Today, Palacio Salvo is a symbol of the city, measuring more than 100 metres. However, not everyone considers it an architectural marvel. Le Corbusier’s attitude to the building is still alive among some. The architect considered the Palacio Salvio to be a terrible monstrosity and his opinion was echoed by poets in Montevideo. However, it is hard to deny Palacio Salvo’s strange beauty.
Source: Atlas Obscura
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