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A century-old secret: Do you know the stories hidden behind the Immigration Hotel?
The Hotel de Inmigrantes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a unique complex that could be described as a castle. Built from 1905 to 1911, the facility was designed to accommodate tens of thousands of immigrants while protecting against infectious diseases introduced as a massive cholera epidemic spread. This timeless hotel, which witnessed the stories of more than one million immigrants, closed 42 years later and now houses the National Immigration Museum and the Center for Contemporary Art of the Tres de Febrero National University.
"Everyone who comes to this hotel has a desire for new life and expectations for the future in their hearts."
History
A cholera epidemic in 1873-1874 caused the Argentine government to seek a response to foreign diseases. Guillermo Wilcken, then chairman of the Immigration Commission, proposed setting up a controlled immigration center to maintain public health. He wanted the name of the new building to not suggest lowliness or poverty, so he eventually decided to call it the Immigrant Hotel.
Although the project was approved in 1883, bureaucratic problems and further epidemics delayed it for 20 years. It was not until 1905 that contractors began construction, and in 1909 Hungarian architect Juan Kronfuss was selected to redesign the entire complex. The hotel is located in the Port of Buenos Aires, making the entry of new immigrants easy.
Hotel Life
The Immigration Hotel was designed to create a fortress-like centre and include multiple functional buildings such as a registration hall, employment offices and a hospital. Here, all services are free and migrants are generally expected to stay legally in hotels for no more than five days, but some stay for months.
“The hotel has four floors, and the facilities are simple in style, with hygiene as the primary consideration.”
Immigrants must undergo a document review upon arrival. Immigrants over 60 or those with any mental or physical health problems, especially those with infectious diseases, are not allowed to enter. The employment office in the hotel also provides job assistance to immigrants and offers a number of courses on Argentine society and language.
Legal changes and consequences
During World War I, Argentina's immigration policies were tightened, with the strictest laws prohibiting the entry of the mentally ill, criminals, and beggars. This requires many immigrants to provide relevant proof when entering the country and further strengthens the inspection of immigrant status.
As time went by, the living conditions of the immigrant hotels gradually deteriorated. After many revolutions, the hotel's day-to-day operations became unnecessary and it was occasionally used by the military and in the 1950s to provide much-needed meals to the homeless.
Current Use
In 1974, the National Immigration Museum moved into the hotel, and in 2012 it welcomed the National Tres de Febrero University's Center for Contemporary Art. The Immigration Museum is open to the public free of charge. Its permanent exhibitions cover topics such as "Italians and Spanish in Argentina" and "Men for All", showing various scenes of immigrants' lives in the hotel...
"The fusion of cultures and the sedimentation of history are still the spiritual blood flowing in this ancient building."
Over time, the Immigration Hotel has not only peacefully witnessed the history of Argentine immigration; Will it continue to attract the attention of future generations to delve deeper into the stories of those who sought a new life in the city?
