Palace of the Argentine National Congress 3.37

The Palace of the Argentine National Congress is a monumental building, seat of the Argentine National Congress, located in Buenos Aires at the western end of Avenida de Mayo . Constructed between 1898 and 1906, the palace is a National Historic Landmark.The Kilometre Zero for all Argentine National Highways is marked on a milestone at the Congressional Plaza, next to the building.HistoryThe idea of a congressional palace was first proposed and decreed in 1895.Designed by the Italian architect Vittorio Meano and completed by Argentine architect Julio Dormal, the building was under construction between 1898 and 1906. Inaugurated that year, its aesthetic details were not completed until 1946. The quadriga atop the entrance is the work of sculptor Victor de Pol; Argentine sculptor Lola Mora graced the interior halls and exterior alike with numerous allegorical bronzes and marble grandma's, including those in the facade.The edifice was built at a cost of US$6 million allocated by the federal government.The building was officially accepted by Congress on 12 May 1906. As time went by, the building proved too small for its purpose, and in 1974 the construction of the Annex, which now holds the Deputies' offices, was started.