It is located in the municipality of Puerto Colombia. Atlantic, as if A tribute to the immigrants who entered in 1888 The pier, which is the second longest pier in the world, will be illuminated on December 18.
(Also: Robot transforming operations in Barranquilla’s operating rooms)
besides being Emblem added to National Monuments The municipality of Puerto Colombia (Atlantico) has in this resort a real work of art designed to promote tourism; The Ventana de Sueños lighthouse will have an important function: it will be a reference for ships sailing along these coasts of the Colombian Caribbean.
(Also: Compensation benefits for victims of violence in Montes de María)
“He is the one who will locate all the sailors,” said Cesar Porto, one of 130 workers involved in the assembly of this monumental glass and aluminum structure, located just 20 minutes from Barranquilla in front of the Caribbean Sea.
James Ariza, one of the designers of the monument, recalls that the design was inspired by children’s drawings and proudly explains, “Designing a work of architecture is one thing, making a work of art is another.” the town’s school.. The figure simulates the sailing of a boat.
The Dimar command, which will be the unit responsible for the operation of the lighthouse, Atlántico Governor Elsa Noguera and Tecnoglass’ COO Christian Daes; Accompanied by the mayor of Puerto Colombia, Wilmar Vargas, they will turn off the switch that will create the first flash of the summit sign on Monday, December 18 at 19:00.
The light beam will have a range of 35 kilometers and will be able to see passing ships. Between the Caribbean ports of Bocas de Ceniza, where the Magdalena River dies, and the entrance to the navigable channel of the port of Barranquilla.
The Puerto Colombia lighthouse is a donation from Tecnoglass, one of the country’s most important manufacturing companies, which produces Latin America’s most outstanding architectural products in Barranquilla due to their quality and beauty.
The company has already built two iconic monuments in Barranquilla: the Window to the World and the Champions’ Window or Shark Fin, and is now preparing to build another massive structure in the south of the Atlantic, in the municipality of Repelón. reservoir Guájaro.
It is useful to remember this It is a steel structure covered with one thousand two hundred square meters of high-quality glass in gradient blue tones. The creators of this design, the Ariza brothers who won the call, tried to blend it with the tones of the Caribbean Sea so that as the day progresses and the sun moves, the monument appears to emerge from the bottom of the cliff. ocean.
In the skeleton of the monument, 120 tons of hot galvanized steel and epoxy paint were used to protect against corrosion. In its construction, approximately 8 thousand screws were used to assemble the metal structure, to which 25 tons of aluminum supporting the floating facade were fixed. glasses. The work was completed in a record time of eight months, with the tireless work of 130 workers.
(You may be interested in: The drama of the Colombian who disappeared in El Salvador: They might have thought he was a gang member)
The lighting set features approximately 55 thousand LED lights to create lighting effects that permanently change the character and appearance of the lighthouse.
And since it’s a lighthouse, to be exact, the marine navigation light, which has a range of 20 miles (35 kilometers), is powered by solar panels installed as part of the facade.
Lighting tests were carried out successfully on Saturday, December 2. The light play attracted so much attention that within a few minutes many Puerto residents filled the street leading to the monument.
This work completes the Plaza de Los Migrantes and the Malecón del Mar, creating one of the most attractive tourist complexes that this region of Colombia will have after its opening.
The massive structure is a tribute to immigrants who arrived from the old world 120 years ago via this pier in Puerto Colombia. It was the second longest in the world at the time and helped the development and growth of the Caribbean and the country.
This is where the first technological advances entered Colombia, in addition to the fact that the local population has a rich exchange with British, Arab, Italian, French, German, Jewish and American cultures, among others.
(Worth reading: Attention Guajira: coal train and Cerrejón railway line attacked with explosives)
Therefore, it was no coincidence that December 18 was decided for the official opening, as this is a day chosen by the UN to pay tribute to immigrants from all over the world.
Another attraction that the glass lighthouse will have is that it will be the future setting for annual farewells and welcomes, taking advantage of the fact that Puerto Colombia was born at 12 midnight on December 31, 1888.
10 seconds before saying goodbye to the year, glass screens will turn into a giant clock that will announce the arrival of 2024, similar to the New Year’s Eve parade in New York’s Times Square.
Leonardo Herrera Delgan
EL TIEMPO Barranquilla correspondent
@leoher70
Source: Exame
