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In the decade following the inauguration of El Silencio towers (1954), architect Tomás Sanabria proposed the construction of a boulevard connecting the National Pantheon to Caracas’ historic center, where the Santa Teresa Basilica is located. In 1967, the construction of this 18 thousand square meter plaza was decided, and commissioned to landscaper John Stoddart and engineer Santos Michelena. Inaugurated in 1968, in honor of Diego Ibarra, it has areas with different qualities of light and shadow, with «C» shaped corridors with trellises, and three rectangular fountains in the inner courtyard: the main one at the west of the plaza, and the others north and south. In the nineties, it began to be occupied by street vendors. Subsequently, recovery and clean-up work was begun, and in 2011 it was re-inaugurated. The plaza, now completely clear, is contained by the constructions of Centro Simón Bolívar, which act as terraces over the plaza, bridging two height levels with a flat surface, with simple pavement. A circular reflecting pool, with a thin metallic sculpture, located symmetrically between both arms, marks the access to the Rio Tuy transport terminal, located in the CSB basement, activating the plaza, used occasionally for shows and political meetings.
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