Freedom Tower (Miami) facts for kids
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Freedom Tower
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Freedom Tower in 2017
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 Location in Miami
Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Miami, Florida, U.S. |
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| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | George A. Fuller, Schultze & Weaver |
| Architectural style | Spanish Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000665 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 10, 1979 |
| Designated NHL | October 6, 2008 |
The Freedom Tower (which means "Tower of Liberty" in Spanish) is a famous building in Miami, Florida. It was designed by a team called Schultze and Weaver. Today, it is a modern art museum and a main office for different art programs at Miami Dade College. You can find it at 600 Biscayne Boulevard, on Miami Dade College's Wolfson Campus.
This important building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on September 10, 1979. Later, on October 6, 2008, it became a U.S. National Historic Landmark. This was because it helped many Cubans who came to Florida after the 1959 Cuban Revolution. The AIA's Florida Chapter also listed it as one of Florida's top buildings in 2012.
The Freedom Tower is easy to reach by public transport. You can use the Miami Metrorail at the Government Center Station or the Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre station. The Metromover also stops at the Freedom Tower station on the Omni Loop.
Contents
The Freedom Tower's Story
The Freedom Tower was first finished in 1925. It was built to be the main office and printing place for The Miami News newspaper. The building's style is called Mediterranean Revival. It looks a bit like the Giralda tower in Seville, Spain. The tower is 255 feet (78 meters) tall and has a special dome, called a cupola, at the top. This cupola once held a decorative light.
In the 1960s, the Federal government of the United States used the building. They helped people from Cuba who were seeking safety after the Cuban Revolution. The tower was a place where these new arrivals could get their documents processed. They also received medical and dental care there. After this period ended in 1972, the government sold the building in 1974. In 1979, it was recognized as a historic place.
The New World Mural
The "New World Mural 1513" is a large painting inside the tower. It was painted in 1988 by a group called The Miami Artisans. These artists included Wade S. Foy, John Conroy, William Mark Coulthard, Phylis Shaw, Gerome Villa Bergsen, and Ana Bikic. You can find the mural in the Grand Hall on the second floor. Sometimes, public access to it is limited.
This mural is a new version of an older painting from 1926. The tower's first owner, James Middleton Cox, asked for the original mural. The new version was commissioned in 1987 by architect Richard Hiessenbottle. The middle part of the mural features a poem by Edwin Markham, who was a famous poet.
Changes Over the Years
In 1997, the family of a well-known Cuban-American businessman, Jorge Mas Canosa, bought the building. They paid US$4.1 million for it. The Mas family then made the tower look like it did when it was first built. They turned it into a memorial for the people who came to the United States from Cuba. It became home to a museum, a library, a meeting hall, and offices for the Cuban American National Foundation. When the famous singer Celia Cruz passed away in 2003, over 200,000 people visited the Freedom Tower to pay their respects.
In 2005, Pedro and David Martin, a father and son from Terra Group, bought the tower. They later donated the Freedom Tower to Miami Dade College. Dr. Eduardo Padron, the college president, led this effort. As part of the agreement, the college promised to create a space that tells the story of Cuban exiles. Today, it serves as a museum, a cultural center, and an education center.
The building has a rich history and is always finding new ways to serve the community. It is now well-known for its art exhibitions and its growth as an important art institution. The MDC Museum of Art + Design is on the second floor. It offers many exhibits that are free and open to everyone. The Freedom Tower also houses the Cuban American Museum.
Important Events at the Tower
On April 13, 2015, Marco Rubio, a Cuban-American Florida Senator, chose the Freedom Tower for a special announcement. He announced his campaign for president there. He said the location was important because it represents freedom for Cuban-Americans.
On September 17, 2015, King Felipe VI of Spain visited the tower. He received the Presidential Medal from Miami-Dade College. This is the highest honor given by the college.
On May 10, 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a plan to invest $25 million in the Freedom Tower. This money would help preserve, fix up, and improve the building. This proposal was considered by the state's lawmakers.
Gallery
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Miami Freedom Tower's cupola
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Upper tower section with cupola
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Westside – back side
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From the Port Bridge looking west, notice Miami Arena in background before demolition in April 2007
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From the Port Bridge looking west
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Closeup view of the front in 2010
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Front of building from Biscayne Blvd in 2016
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Miami Freedom Tower at Night with Rich Purple Lighting, April 2, 2011
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Maintenance on the Freedom Tower in 2010/2011, viewed from the west
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Preservation and maintenance work being done on the tower in March 2011
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The tower on a cloudy and rainy night
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The Freedom Tower in downtown Miami on November 26, 2016, the day after Fidel Castro had passed
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"Freedom Tower Miami New World Mural 1513". The mural's center image presents Juan Ponce de León and the Tequesta Chief Freedom Tower Miami Mural 1988, painted by Miami Artisans in 1988. Wade S. Foy, John Conroy, W Mark Coulthard, Ana Bikic.
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See also
In Spanish: Torre de la Libertad (Miami) para niños
