Giant steel and aluminum flower sculpture that opens its petals at dawn and closes them at dusk. Designed by Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano and donated to the city in 2002. Twenty-three meters tall, weighing 18 tons, hydraulically operated. Bizarre, photogenic, and very Buenos Aires.
Location
Recoleta, Buenos Aires
Map
Insider Intel
Walk around it. Photograph it from multiple angles. The sculpture is in Plaza de las Naciones Unidas, a grassy area that is good for sitting. The petals open at 8am and close at sunset, though the mechanism frequently breaks and the petals remain stuck. Combine with a walk through Recoleta.
Golden hour (late afternoon) for the best light on the reflective aluminum petals. The square is open 24/7, so you can visit at any time. The flower is illuminated at night when the petals are closed.
Eduardo Catalano designed the sculpture in 2002 as a gift to Buenos Aires, representing hope and rebirth. The hydraulic system that opens and closes the petals has been unreliable since installation — it frequently breaks, leaving the petals stuck open or closed for months. The sculpture has become iconic anyway. Free to view, always accessible. Near MALBA and the Recoleta Cemetery, so easy to include in a Palermo/Recoleta walk.