In black and white, a tunnel under construction and various cars of the time, these are the images from the 1970s that portray the parallel construction of the iconic Entel Tower and the La Moneda subway station. Both emblematic spaces are now visited by thousands of people every day and were born with the same objective: to connect.
Initially, Metro Line 1 extended from La Moneda subway station to San Pablo. Three years later, it extended its network with Line 2 connecting from Los Héroes to Lo Ovalle. Currently, Metro de Santiago has 143 stations with 100% mobile coverage in its 149 kilometers of network. But this structure was only part of the connection needed at the time.
Its design inspired by communication by smoke signals - hence its torch shape - and its 127.35 meters high, made the Entel Tower the main telephone connection point of the time and a landmark in the Santiago capital. From its inauguration in 1974 until 1992, it was the tallest building in the city.
“Its location had to meet many requirements, such as visibility to connect by microwave with the first stations of the northern and southern backbone network, and with the irrigation links to Valparaíso and Talagante. Other people suggested the tip of Cerro San Cristobal, but it had several drawbacks. There, we could not have built this tower, which has four subway levels, each of 2,500 square meters, full of equipment. One thing is what you see from the street, but below there is a whole impressive world”, said Eduardo Carmi, a civil electrical engineer, now 83 years old, who started working at Entel in 1965.
Considering that La Moneda station is the closest to the Entel Tower and was the first to be connected in 1999, it will be called La Moneda Entel Station from August until September 9, as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the technology and telecommunications company.
“We are extremely happy to celebrate our 60th anniversary together with Metro, and also because both companies share the same history. The construction of the Entel Tower and Metro La Moneda began in 1969 and 1970, and finished in 1974 and 1975 respectively. In other words, two symbols of the city's connectivity and progress have a joint history, which is reflected today in the coverage of the entire network”, explained Entel's general manager, Antonio Büchi.
Tunnel through which the subway trains would later travel when arriving at La Moneda station. In the distance, the Entel Tower.
Work on Line 1 at the foot of the Entel Tower.
Construction of the tower next to a parking lot with cars of the time, which would later become the La Moneda subway station.
6 Sep, 2024
In black and white, a tunnel under construction and various cars of the time, these are the images from the 1970s that portray the parallel construction of the iconic Entel Tower and the La Moneda subway station. Both emblematic spaces are now visited by thousands of people every day and were born with the same objective: to connect.
Initially, Metro Line 1 extended from La Moneda subway station to San Pablo. Three years later, it extended its network with Line 2 connecting from Los Héroes to Lo Ovalle. Currently, Metro de Santiago has 143 stations with 100% mobile coverage in its 149 kilometers of network. But this structure was only part of the connection needed at the time.
Its design inspired by communication by smoke signals - hence its torch shape - and its 127.35 meters high, made the Entel Tower the main telephone connection point of the time and a landmark in the Santiago capital. From its inauguration in 1974 until 1992, it was the tallest building in the city.
“Its location had to meet many requirements, such as visibility to connect by microwave with the first stations of the northern and southern backbone network, and with the irrigation links to Valparaíso and Talagante. Other people suggested the tip of Cerro San Cristobal, but it had several drawbacks. There, we could not have built this tower, which has four subway levels, each of 2,500 square meters, full of equipment. One thing is what you see from the street, but below there is a whole impressive world”, said Eduardo Carmi, a civil electrical engineer, now 83 years old, who started working at Entel in 1965.
Considering that La Moneda station is the closest to the Entel Tower and was the first to be connected in 1999, it will be called La Moneda Entel Station from August until September 9, as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the technology and telecommunications company.
“We are extremely happy to celebrate our 60th anniversary together with Metro, and also because both companies share the same history. The construction of the Entel Tower and Metro La Moneda began in 1969 and 1970, and finished in 1974 and 1975 respectively. In other words, two symbols of the city's connectivity and progress have a joint history, which is reflected today in the coverage of the entire network”, explained Entel's general manager, Antonio Büchi.
Tunnel through which the subway trains would later travel when arriving at La Moneda station. In the distance, the Entel Tower.
Work on Line 1 at the foot of the Entel Tower.
Construction of the tower next to a parking lot with cars of the time, which would later become the La Moneda subway station.
In black and white, a tunnel under construction and various cars of the time, these are the images from the 1970s that portray the parallel construction of the iconic Entel Tower and the La Moneda subway station. Both emblematic spaces are now visited by thousands of people every day and were born with the same objective: to connect.
Initially, Metro Line 1 extended from La Moneda subway station to San Pablo. Three years later, it extended its network with Line 2 connecting from Los Héroes to Lo Ovalle. Currently, Metro de Santiago has 143 stations with 100% mobile coverage in its 149 kilometers of network. But this structure was only part of the connection needed at the time.
Its design inspired by communication by smoke signals - hence its torch shape - and its 127.35 meters high, made the Entel Tower the main telephone connection point of the time and a landmark in the Santiago capital. From its inauguration in 1974 until 1992, it was the tallest building in the city.
“Its location had to meet many requirements, such as visibility to connect by microwave with the first stations of the northern and southern backbone network, and with the irrigation links to Valparaíso and Talagante. Other people suggested the tip of Cerro San Cristobal, but it had several drawbacks. There, we could not have built this tower, which has four subway levels, each of 2,500 square meters, full of equipment. One thing is what you see from the street, but below there is a whole impressive world”, said Eduardo Carmi, a civil electrical engineer, now 83 years old, who started working at Entel in 1965.
Considering that La Moneda station is the closest to the Entel Tower and was the first to be connected in 1999, it will be called La Moneda Entel Station from August until September 9, as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the technology and telecommunications company.
“We are extremely happy to celebrate our 60th anniversary together with Metro, and also because both companies share the same history. The construction of the Entel Tower and Metro La Moneda began in 1969 and 1970, and finished in 1974 and 1975 respectively. In other words, two symbols of the city's connectivity and progress have a joint history, which is reflected today in the coverage of the entire network”, explained Entel's general manager, Antonio Büchi.
Tunnel through which the subway trains would later travel when arriving at La Moneda station. In the distance, the Entel Tower.
Work on Line 1 at the foot of the Entel Tower.
Construction of the tower next to a parking lot with cars of the time, which would later become the La Moneda subway station.