Faro del Comercio

The Faro del Comercio is a 70-meter freestanding concrete slab designed by celebrated Mexican architect Luis Barragán, erected in 1984 to commemorate the centennial of Monterrey's chamber of commerce (CANACO). The monument stands at the northern end of the Macroplaza, its minimalist orange-red form a deliberate contrast to the surrounding government buildings and cathedral. Each night, the tower's crown projects a green laser beam that sweeps slowly across the sky above downtown Monterrey, visible from much of the surrounding metro area and forming one of the city's best-known nighttime landmarks. A visit to see the tower and its evening light display takes fifteen to twenty minutes, though most visitors take it in as part of a longer evening walk through the Macroplaza and toward Barrio Antiguo. The best vantage point is from the open plaza directly facing the tower, where the full height of the slab and the sweep of the laser beam can be seen against the night sky; arriving shortly before the beam activates around 8PM allows time to see both the illuminated tower and its surroundings. The monument draws its largest crowds on weekend evenings, when families and couples gather in the plaza for the light display, while weeknights offer a quieter view. There is no enclosed structure to enter, so the monument is viewed entirely from the surrounding public plaza.