Torre Latinoamericana

The Torre Latino is the most popular lookout in Mexico City, a favorite destination for tourists downtown. With 44 floors, the skycraper stands 188 m tall, and was the tallest building in the city since its inauguration in 1956 until 1972.

Architect Augusto H. Álvarez started construction of the building in 1949. The building earned an award by  the American Institute of Steel Construction for being the tallest building ever exposed to an enormous seismic force: in 1985 the tower withstood an earthquake of 8.1 intensity on the Richter scale.

Currently it houses offices, the Museo del Bicentenario, the Miralto restaurant, permanent and temporary exhibitions, a café and the most famous viewpoint of the city. Even though this place has no activities for children, it is worth to take for the impressive view of the city. Any kid, even one that are not really kids, will feel amazed by the height of this building.

Why the building matters. It was completed in 1956 after some eight years of work, to a design by Augusto H. Álvarez, and for years it was the tallest building in Latin America. Its engineering fame outstrips its architecture: it was the first skyscraper built in a seismic zone on soft lake bed, resting on 361 piles driven 33 metres down, and it has come through the city's major earthquakes undamaged, including 1985, when much of the Centro was wrecked. It stands 166 metres to the roof and 182 with the mast, has 44 floors and some 28,000 m² of offices; the facade cannot be altered because it is listed as a historic monument.

What stood here before. The site was part of Moctezuma II's zoo and, after the conquest, was occupied by a Franciscan monastery. Three layers of city on one corner of Eje Central and Madero.

What is inside. The draw is the observation deck on the upper floors, the most complete view of the Centro: the Cathedral, the Zócalo, Bellas Artes and, on clear days, the volcanoes. The same route takes in the Museo del Bicentenario and temporary exhibitions, while the Miralto restaurant and a café operate on the top floors, so you can go up to look or to eat.

Visiting advice. Pick a clear day and, if you can, arrive an hour before sunset: you catch the late light and the lit-up city on one ticket. Queues build on weekend afternoons. It is at Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 2, right beside the Casa de los Azulejos; Bellas Artes and San Juan de Letrán metro stations are a block away.