Buenos Aires restores monument to Teatro Colón dancers

Authorities in Buenos Aires have completed the restoration of the fountain at Plaza Lavalle, which surrounds the ‘Homenaje al Ballet Nacional’ sculpture. The monument commemorates nine dancers from the Teatro Colón who died in an aviation accident on October 10, 1971, when their plane crashed into the Río de la Plata while traveling to Trelew.

The restoration project, managed by the Ministry of Public Space, included modernizing the electrical system, renewing pumping equipment, and waterproofing the basins to prevent leaks. Technical improvements featured the installation of a new impulse pump to restore the fountain’s central effects and a submersible pump to prevent flooding in the machine room. The basins were treated with waterproof cement mortar and finished with a characteristic ‘Piedra París’ color paint.

In addition to the fountain, the surrounding plaza underwent improvements including repaving, new sidewalks, and updated lighting. Ignacio Baistrocchi, Minister of Public Space, stated that the dancers are a vital part of the cultural history of Buenos Aires and Argentina, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the memorial in optimal condition.