Tower of David: what the tallest slum of the planet looks like

In the 1980-1990s, when Venezuela flourished, the capital was actively built up. It was during this period that the new skyscraper Centro Financiero Confinanzas began to be built in Caracas. The developer David Brillemburg worked on the project, and the 45-story building was to become the third tallest in the country. However, the 1994 crisis stopped construction; the skyscraper has been desolate for more than a decade.

The second life of high-rise began in 2007, but not as expected. The building was captured by squatters, they then turned the skyscraper into the tallest slum in the world. The skyscraper was nicknamed the Tower of David in honor of the architect.

The 45-story building has no elevators, no water, and for a long time there was no electricity. There are no railings at the stairs, there are no windows in the skyscraper and even walls somewhere. But despite all this, locals call the “Tower of David” one of the safest places in Caracas. At least among other slums.

And the Tower does not look like many other slums. There are small shops here, on the ground floors there are warehouses, there is even a dentistry, a kindergarten and a beauty salon. There is also parking here: after all, some residents own cars. In general, the slum lives quite normally: it was possible to conduct electricity up to the 22nd floor, as well as some communications. Residents ride mopeds up to the 10th floor, and only a staircase above.

About three thousand people live in the slum, and this is approximately seven hundred families. Many of them moved to the Tower from more dangerous areas, and they monitor their home. There is even a semblance of a house management company or a house council that monitors cleanliness in the corridors and fulfills the established rules of residence. The building is also under protection, the contents of which every month are tenants.