Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is home to a road that is 110 meters wide with 16 lanes, making it the widest road in the world. Crossing a four-lane road normally takes some time, so how long would it take to cross the widest road in the world?
This unparalleled road is known as the 9 de Julio Avenue (Spanish: Avenida 9 de Julio), named after Argentina’s Independence Day on July 9, 1816.
According to the Guinness World Records, the 9 de Julio Avenue is the widest avenue in the world. With a width of approximately 110 meters and 16 lanes, along with pedestrian walkways and a central safety island, this road occupies an entire block.
Construction of the 9 de Julio Avenue began in 1935, with the main part completed in the 1960s, while the southern connecting line was not finished until the 1980s.
To the east of the 9 de Julio Avenue is the Carlos Pellegrini Street, and to the west is the Cerrito Street. These two streets act as additional lanes, making the total width of the avenue 140 meters.
Near the 9 de Julio Avenue, there are many attractions and landmarks that draw tourists for exploration. Walking along the avenue from north to south, visitors can see the French Embassy, the Colon Theater, the Obelisk of Buenos Aires, the Plaza de la República, the former Ministry of Transport building, the Constitution Station, and the Constitution Square among other landmarks.
The Obelisk of Buenos Aires, standing at 71.5 meters tall, is located at the intersection of Corrientes Avenue and 9 de Julio Avenue, built in 1936 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the foundation of Buenos Aires.
This obelisk bears inscriptions of four significant events in Buenos Aires history — the city’s founding in 1536, permanent settlement in 1580, the first raising of the Argentine flag in 1812 at the site of the obelisk tower of a church, and the establishment of the Federal District in 1880 at the same location.
Speaking of the width of the 9 de Julio Avenue, a social media influencer named zeidaner recently filmed himself crossing the avenue and timed the process. He took 4 minutes and 17 seconds to walk from one side to the other, including time spent waiting at traffic lights. He mentioned that despite walking faster than usual, it still took him that long.
(Click here to view aerial footage of the 9 de Julio Avenue)