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The story of Chile Hotel, Monserrat, City of Buenos Aires
Chile Hotel, located in the corner of Mayo Avenue and Santiago del Estero Street, was initially called Leticia Hotel, and was a good example of the hotel industry of the late 19th century at the moment of its construction.
Later, a new commercial society was created with the aim of obtaining the economic support that would allow the hotel to evolve with its time. This society changes the name of the hotel to Chile Hotel Romanelli, and owns the Italy Hotel Romanelli as well.
It is then that the curious balconies of the corner are added giving the place the Art Nouveau style that can be seen today in the Chile Hotel.
It’s a story of commercial fights that allowed for this architectonic jewel to be preserved until today, maintaining the hotel tradition of the Mayo Avenue.
A mystery remains unsolved: has the building on Santiago del Estero Street reaching the corner with Rivadavia Avenue, and occupying a similar space as the one the Chile Hotel occupies on the corner with Mayo Avenue, ever belonged to the Leticia or Romanelli Hotel?
About this article...
Author of the article: Grondona Olmi, Verónica
Sources employed:
"El País que no Miramos" ("The Country we have not Seen"), a series of documentaries for television produced by Ivan Grondona. Archivo General de la Nación ("Argentina's National Archive"), video 1, programme 13.
Translated by: Veronica Grondona
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