Ader Tower, the Independence Tower of Vicente López
The Ader Tower (Torre Ader), officially the Torre de la Independencia, is a Florentine-style lookout tower 42.30 metres high in Villa Adelina, in the Vicente López partido. It has 217 steps up to the viewing point and today houses a history institute: one of the hidden gems of northern Greater Buenos Aires.
A Florentine-style tower rises among the houses of northern Greater Buenos Aires, and neighbouring districts fought over it for decades through municipal ordinances. Its motto, in French, reads: Mon Droit et Dieu.
The history of the Ader Tower
In 1916 Bernardo Ader, owner of a farm in northern Greater Buenos Aires, commissioned the building of a tower. Ader was a Basque-French immigrant and, as the story goes, he raised it in honour of his late children and as a thank-you to Argentina, which had welcomed him, in the year of the centenary of its independence. That is why its official name is the Torre de la Independencia (Independence Tower). The design was by the architects Artaza and Marino, and the work was carried out by a family construction firm. The motto Mon Droit et Dieu, meaning My Right and God, is inscribed on the pediment.
The date of the opening has been corrected over time: according to documents supplied by the family, the tower was inaugurated on 1 April 1917, not on 9 July of that year as was previously believed. It is a Florentine-style lookout tower, 42.30 metres high, with 217 steps up to the viewing point, and its style is similar to that of the Torre Monumental in the city of Buenos Aires.
Over the years the tower became a cause of conflict between neighbouring districts. In 1980 an ordinance made the part of Villa Adelina's territory lying in Vicente López part of Carapachay; a later ordinance, number 7595 of 1991, returned those lands to Villa Adelina. Even so, Carapachay kept disputing jurisdiction over 48 blocks, among them those around the Ader Tower.
For a long time the tower served as a landmark for passengers on the Central Córdoba Railway: anyone travelling between Villa Adelina and Retiro had two visual references, the Ader Tower and the Torre Monumental.
Today the tower is the seat of the Instituto de Investigaciones Históricas de Vicente López, which has a library and a large archive on the history of the partido that the public can consult, along with the only public newspaper and magazine library in the partido specialising in local papers. The tower is open to visitors, and from the top you can take in all of Vicente López and much of northern Greater Buenos Aires.
Curious facts about the Ader Tower
- Its official name is the Torre de la Independencia: Ader commissioned it in 1916, on the eve of the centenary of Argentine independence.
- It is 42.30 metres high with 217 steps up to the viewing point.
- The motto Mon Droit et Dieu, meaning My Right and God, is inscribed on the pediment.
- For years it was believed to have opened on 9 July 1917; family documents indicate it was 1 April of that year.
- Villa Adelina and Carapachay disputed jurisdiction over 48 blocks that include the tower, with ordinances that changed hands in 1980 and 1991.
- A French gate from the late 19th century that belonged to Ader's estate survives: 7.20 metres wide, 5.60 high and about 5 tonnes, with monograms of the owner.
Tours near Ader Tower
Experiences in the area that you can book online with Viator:
Visiting the Ader Tower
- The tower is in Villa Adelina, on Calle Triunvirato and Calle Castelli; visits are possible, but check the current days and hours before you go.
- The climb is 217 steps to the viewing point, from where you can see all of Vicente López and a large part of northern Greater Buenos Aires.
- The Instituto de Investigaciones Históricas de Vicente López is based in the tower, with a library, an archive on the history of the partido and a press library that the public can consult.
- The sources do not give entry requirements, so it is best to find out before you go.
Opening hours, access and conditions can change. Check before you go.
Map: where Ader Tower is
Photos of Ader Tower
Questions
What is the Ader Tower?
It is a Florentine-style lookout tower, 42.30 metres high, in Villa Adelina, Vicente López partido. Its official name is the Torre de la Independencia and it is a municipal historic monument.
Who built the Ader Tower?
It was commissioned in 1916 by Bernardo Ader, owner of the farm where it was built. The design was by the architects Artaza and Marino.
How many steps does the Ader Tower have?
It has 217 steps up to the viewing point.
Where is the Ader Tower?
On Calle Triunvirato and Calle Castelli in Villa Adelina, Vicente López partido, in northern Greater Buenos Aires. Carapachay disputed its jurisdiction for years.
Can you visit the Ader Tower?
Yes, the tower is open to visitors and the viewing point looks over much of northern Greater Buenos Aires. Check the days and hours before you go.
Why was the Ader Tower built?
As the story goes, Ader raised it in honour of his late children and as a thank-you to Argentina on the centenary of its independence.
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