Monument to the Revolution

"This landmark, located in the heart of Mexico City, commemorates the Mexican Revolution and is the largest triumphal arch in the world. The main structure evolved over twenty-five years of stops and starts and a major redesign. It was finished in 1938, to comprise an eclectic blend of art-deco and Mexican socialist realism styles. A visit to the top observation deck only costs 110 pesos ($5) and there's a museum underground. You don't need much time to witness the glory of the monument. Saunter around, gawk at the creative architectural stylings of the structure, and walk under the arches. History nerds may be more interested in the small museum below, but more than anything it's an architecturally significant piece, and the observation deck has great views. If you keep your eyes peeled while exploring around town, you'll most likely catch a glimpse of the monument down a main street—but a quick glimpse isn't enough, and it's worth the quick 15-minute trip to walk underneath it." - Scarlett Lindeman

"Tell me: What’s this place all about? This landmark located in the heart of Mexico City commemorates the Mexican Revolution, and is the largest triumphal arch in the world. The main structure evolved over twenty-five years of fits and starts, and a major redesign. It was finished in 1938, to comprise an eclectic blend of Art Deco and Mexican Social Realist styles. A visit to the top observation deck only costs 110 pesos ($5) and there's a museum underground. What’s it like being there?  Soaring magnificence. Though this monument is located just off of the main Avenida de Reforma in Tabacalera, it feels somewhat off the beaten track. Tourists bee-line to the historic downtown and main Zocalo and may never catch a glimpse of this breathtaking building. It's worth a slight detour to stand under the arches. Is there a guide involved?   As it's a short jaunt off the main avenue, a guide is not necessary. Its imposing stature sits at the top of a large, open-air plaza where couples embrace, workers head to lunch, and kids ride around on bikes. Who comes here?   Because the plaza it situated off Reforma, next to a number of offices and government buildings, there are a lot of workers on lunch-break, locals who live in San Rafael or Tabacalera passing through, groups of teenagers practicing dance moves, and only the occasional tourist. Did it meet expectations?  The building is jaw-dropping. Walk around the perimeter to see the art-deco stone sculptures at the top of each leg of the building and take an elevator to the observation deck if the timing is right. The monument is also lit up at night. So then what, or who, do you think it’s best for?  You don't need much time to witness the glory of this landmark. Saunter around, gawk at the creative architectural stylings of the structure, and walk under the arches. History nerds may be more interested in the small museum below, but more than anything it's an architecturally significant piece. The observation deck has great views, and if you keep your eyes peeled while exploring around town, you'll most likely catch a glimpse of the monument down a main street—but a quick glimpse isn't enough. It's worth the quick 15-minute trip to walk underneath it." - Scarlett Lindeman

"This gigantic monument topped with a dome is a war memorial to the Mexican Revolution of 1910. It stands in the middle of Plaza de la República, just a few blocks away from Centro Histórico. Underneath, there’s an underground museum dedicated to the Mexican Revolution, or you can head up to the top of the monument in a glass elevator that provides one of the best views of the city." - MATADOR_NETWORK

"At 220 feet tall, the Monumento a la Revolución (Monument to the Revolution) is the tallest triumphal arch in the world. And while many people admire it as they explore downtown Mexico City, not everyone realizes how much is going on inside this huge monument to the Mexican Revolution. If things had gone as planned, the Monumento a la Revolución would never have been built at all, at least not in its present form. When construction began in 1906, it was not for a monument but rather for the Palacio Legislativo Federal (Federal Legislative Palace). This grand palace would have housed the various legislative bodies of the Mexican Federal Republic, but the project was abandoned in 1912 because of the Mexican Revolution. For more than two decades, the massive metal structure that served as the core of the unfinished building stood rusting in Mexico City. Until, that is, Mexican architect Carlos Obregón Santacilia came up with an interesting proposal: he would transform the structure into a monument to the heroes of the Mexican Revolution. Santacilia used the palace’s existing cupola structure as the skeleton for his monument, but fleshed it out with monumental architecture that combined Art Deco and Mexican socialist realism styles. So while the cupola itself looks very much as it did in the original designs for the building, it sits atop four massive stone arches rather than on top of a palace. And with a total height of 220 feet, it is the tallest triumphal arch in the world (the second tallest is the Arch of Triumph in Pyongyang). The Monumento a la Revolución, understandably, is now one of the most famous landmarks in Mexico City. But while thousands of people walk past it and admire it on a daily basis, not everyone knows what’s going on inside—and below—the world’s tallest triumphal arch. To start with, the monument functions as a mausoleum for some of the most famous revolutionary figures in modern Mexican history. The tombs are contained inside the bases of each of the four main pillars, and include the remains of Francisco I. Madero, Plutarco Elías Calles, Francisco “Pancho” Villa, and Lázaro Cárdenas. When the monument was extensively renovated in 2010, more elements were added. A vertigo-inducing glass elevator now runs up through the central axis of the monument, all the way up to an observation deck inside the cupola. A whole section of the original structure was also deliberately left exposed and is now open to the public via short tours, allowing visitors to marvel at the massive steel beams and trusses that hold the whole thing together. Below the monument, meanwhile, lies an exhibition space and art gallery, as well as the National Museum of the Revolution, which covers more than half a century of Mexican history from the Constitution of 1857 to the post-revolutionary government of 1920." - ATLAS_OBSCURA