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Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina and the largest city in South America, located on the shores of the Rio de la Plata. It is considered the cultural center of the country and is famous for its beautiful monuments, museums, theaters.
Who travels to Buenos Aires and why
Buenos Aires, founded in the first half of the 16th century by Spanish conquistadors, attracts attention with its multifaceted architecture that combines elements of modernism, neo-gothic, art deco, and classicism. Every year, tens of millions of tourists come here to admire the magnificent palaces, temples, walk through the squares and streets of the historical center.
The city regularly hosts holidays and festivals:
- In August, the international tango festival convenes guests. For several days, dancers attend master classes and compete with each other. The best couples take part in a gala concert.
- In the spring, an independent film festival kicks off. The cultural event gathers up to 500 thousand people. People watch short and full-length films, discuss pictures, meet directors and actors.
- Argentine fashion week is very popular. As part of the holiday, people get acquainted with the work of novice designers and study the collections of leading fashion designers.
The locals love sports and are proud of their teams. The city regularly hosts football matches, tennis, volleyball and basketball competitions, which attract crowds of tourists.
Families with children in Buenos Aires will not be bored either. There are several museums with interactive expositions, optical illusions and other interesting exhibits. On excursions, the guys put interesting experiments and learn about the world around them.
The water in the bay, on the banks of which Buenos Aires stands, is polluted, so they do not swim there. The mayor’s office found an original way out and equipped 13 free beaches with umbrellas, sun loungers, playgrounds and attractions within the city. For water procedures, special pools are installed.
Interesting places
May Square
The main square of the Argentine capital was founded in 1580 by decree of Juan de Garay. This is a landmark place from which the construction of Buenos Aires began. During the colonial era, it was surrounded by beautiful mansions, churches and used for bullfighting. It was here that the political events that led to the independence of Argentina in 1816 took place.
The central monument of the square is the May Pyramid, dedicated to the revolution. In addition, tourists can see here the monument to Manuel Belgrano, fountains, olive trees and flower beds.
Avenida de Mayo
Avenida de Mayo Boulevard, founded in 1885, is the pride of Buenos Aires. It stretches from May Square to Congress Square and plays a huge role in the public life of the city. There are offices of well-known companies, shopping centers, prestigious hotels, cafes and restaurants. During national holidays, parades and mass celebrations are held on the pavement.
Avenida Presidente Julio Argentino Roca
The avenue, named after Argentine President Julio Roca, is easy to find near Plaza Maya. The street was designed by the Frenchman Joseph Bouvard, who also introduced the features of real Paris into its appearance.
Along the road rise the City Hall, the Palace of the Legislative Assembly, the residence of the Prime Minister of Argentina. The main figure of the architectural ensemble is the bronze equestrian sculpture of Julio A. Roca, mounted on a marble pedestal.
La Boca
La Boca is located on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Initially, there was a port and barracks for black slaves. After gaining independence, the territory was settled by immigrants from Italy, who preferred to paint their dwellings in a variety of bright colors.
Today, La Boca is a popular tourist area, known for its spontaneous markets, souvenir shops, and sports stadiums. On holidays, fun masquerades and carnivals are held here, which gathers the whole city.
Ricoleta Cemetery
In the Ricoleta area there is a cemetery where famous residents of the city are buried. Many gravestones are historical monuments and have great cultural value.
Walking in this quiet, peaceful place, you can see the marble crypt of President Julio Roca, the tomb of Nobel laureate Luis Leloir, decorated with columns, the graves of the poet Jose Hernandez, the sculptor Pueyrredon Prilidiano, the scientist Francisco Moreno.
Historical landmarks and architecture
Obelisk in Buenos Aires
In the center of the capital on Republic Square there is a white obelisk dedicated to the four hundredth anniversary of the founding of the city. The height of the religious building, designed by Alberto Prebisch, is 67 meters.
The area around is used for celebrations and cultural events. Fans gather under the obelisk to celebrate the victory of the Argentine football team, musicians, acrobatic and dance troupes perform.
Palace of the National Congress
Congress Square is adorned with a majestic neoclassical mansion, which houses the country’s parliament. The palace, built at the beginning of the last century, has a copper dome 80 meters high. It has a crown with chimeras on it. The facade is decorated with a triangular pediment, marble sculptures of winged lions and columns.
At the top of the pediment is the coat of arms of Argentina, and above it is an 8-ton antique chariot drawn by four horses, symbolizing the triumph of the republic. The palace complex includes a hall, an amphitheater, blue and pink halls, and a library.
Casa Rosada
The residence of the President of the Casa Rosada is located on May Square. The working office of the head of state was built at the end of the 19th century in the neoclassical style. The pink two-story building is decorated with arched windows, columns, and stucco. You can get inside only as part of an organized tour.
Tourists are shown the magnificent decoration of the halls, a collection of busts of the presidents of Argentina, the Palm Court, fountains and sculptures. The Casa Rosada Museum functions in the basement. The personal belongings of the presidents and gifts presented by officials of other countries are stored there.
Palacio Barolo
On Avenida de Mayo, there is a huge Art Nouveau mansion built at the beginning of the last century. Its height is 100 meters. For a long time it was the largest building in the city.
The palace was designed by the Italian architect Palanti, who worked under the influence of Dante’s Divine Comedy. The master divided the house into sections. The basement represents hell, the lower floors are purgatory, the upper floors are heaven. The roof symbolizes the world of angels.
The architectural masterpiece is equipped with elevators, and a lighthouse is installed at the top of the palacio, the signals of which are visible even in Uruguay. Offices of various companies operate in the interior.
Torre Monumental
A tower-shaped monument in the center of Buenos Aires commemorates the centenary of the May Revolution. Its grand opening took place in 1916. The building was erected in the Palladian style and decorated with symbols of the British Empire: the Tudor rose, the shamrock of Ireland and the thistle.
The height of the eight-story building is 75.5 meters. Above is a clock with bronze bells. The tower is crowned with a copper dome with a weather vane in the form of a three-masted frigate, and an observation deck is equipped under its roof, where it is easy to climb on a transparent elevator.
Floralis Generica
The aluminum and steel sculpture was donated to the city by renowned architect Eduardo Catalano. A huge structure, which is a flower with six petals weighing 18 tons, is located in the central city park.
It is equipped with an electrical system that opens the petals during the day and closes at night. The attraction is surrounded by alleys, and at night the lights turn on near it.
Temples in Buenos Aires
Cathedral
The country’s main Catholic church appeared in Buenos Aires in the 16th century. It has the shape of a Latin cross with six chapels and three naves. The facade is decorated with twelve columns, symbolizing the apostles, and marble sculptures.
Inside are paintings by Francesco Domenighini on a religious theme. The floor is decorated with Venetian mosaics. In the crypt of the cathedral is the tomb of José de San Martin, the national hero of Argentina, who participated in the war for the independence of the Spanish colonies.
Basilica of Our Lady
In the vicinity of Buenos Aires in the town of Lujan, you can find a Catholic church dedicated to Our Lady of Lujan, considered the patroness of Argentina. The Neo-Gothic church was built at the beginning of the last century on the site of a small ancient chapel.
It attracts attention with two towers, each 106 meters high, lancet windows, arches, openwork stucco. There are 15 bells of different weights and sounds hanging on the bell tower, and inside there is a large organ of the French company Mutin — Cavaillé Coll.
Holy Trinity Church
The Orthodox Holy Trinity Church in Buenos Aires has been open to believers since 1898. The bright building, erected in the style of Russian patterning, stands out with beautiful blue domes, intricate decor, and carved window frames.
The interior painting of the vaults is by the Italian artist Matteo Casella. The walls of the temple are decorated with mosaics illustrating the Baptism of Russia and ancient icons.
Church of San Ignacio
The Catholic church, built in 1608, is considered the oldest in Buenos Aires. Its facade is decorated with arches, statues, paintings. On the sides rise two square towers topped with crosses. Luxurious wooden gilded altars of the 17th century, sculptures and frescoes have been preserved inside. The church has a religious museum and an art center.
Museums in Buenos Aires
town hall
The city hall was built at the direction of the governor in 1610. The two-story white building has been expanded and rebuilt several times. Now it houses the National Museum of the country. It exhibits paintings by Argentine artists, medieval weapons, antique clothing, jewelry and utensils from the 18th century. A separate hall is dedicated to the events of the May Revolution.
National History Museum
The Historical Museum, which tells about the struggle for the independence of the Argentine people, is located in the San Telmo area in a huge mansion. The main collection highlights the lives of famous political figures. Tourists are shown the personal belongings of the commander Jose de San Martin, General Manuel Belgrano, Governor Bartolome Miter.
In total, the museum has 30 exhibition halls. They contain ancient objects found during excavations in the city, military uniforms of soldiers and officers, antique furniture, early printed books, flags and marble sculptures.
Modern Art Museum
The museum opened its doors to guests in 1958 at the initiative of the country’s artists. Its collection contains 6,000 works by Argentinean and foreign artists dating back to the 19th-20th centuries.
On the tour you can see the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky, Antonio Berni, Joseph Albers, Marcelo Pombo. A separate exposition presents photographs of Argentina taken at the beginning of the last century, engravings and drawings by Buenos Aires artists.
Frigate «President Sarmiento»
The frigate, launched in 1897, is named after Argentine President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. He took part in training regattas, circumnavigations and was used for training sailors.
Now the sailboat is moored in the port. Since the middle of the last century, it has been a museum dedicated to the naval forces of Argentina and maritime affairs in general.
Museum of Latin American Art
The Museum of Contemporary Latin American Art is located in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires. The exposition was founded by Eduardo Constantini in 2001. It includes 400 paintings from the first half of the 20th century.
Popular exhibits are the works of Fernando Botero, Jorge de la Vega, Frida Kahlo, Antonio Berni. On the third floor of the museum there are temporary exhibitions dedicated to important cultural events of the country.
Abasto Children’s Museum
You can spend a whole day at the Abasto Children’s Museum. Interactive exhibitions have been prepared for children of different ages, introducing them to history, music, dance, and science.
The exhibits change regularly, so it’s always interesting here. Children attend a cinema, an art workshop, learn to draw with threads, create Chinese kites, and participate in sports activities. The museum has a conference hall where book presentations, meetings with favorite musicians and actors are held.
Nature and entertainment
Palermo forests
The largest park in Buenos Aires is called the Palermo Forests. The territory is located in Palermo and is a favorite vacation spot for guests and residents of the city. There are picturesque lakes where you can ride boats and catamarans.
Among the trees, sports grounds, jogging tracks, and play areas for children are equipped. People come here to relax from the bustle of the city, ride bicycles and celebrate holidays.
Botanical Garden
Near the Piazza d’Italia, there is a botanical garden founded over 100 years ago. It harmoniously combines French, Oriental and Italian landscape styles. On the territory of 7 hectares, 5.5 thousand species of trees and shrubs grow compactly.
The garden is divided into European, Asian and African zones. All plants are strictly sorted. Walking along the shady paths, you can see the rose garden, admire the marble sculptures of Greek gods, go to the greenhouse with cacti and succulents.
Literary cafe «Tortoni»
The famous cafe built by a French immigrant on Avenida de Mayo is one of the ten most beautiful in the world. It is called a city landmark, as prominent people liked to spend time here. Among the distinguished guests: Albert Einstein, Hillary Clinton, Fyodor Chaliapin, Garcia Lorca.
The hallmark of the cafe «Tortoni» is a cozy, relaxed atmosphere and a regular presentation of books. Tourists can drink a cup of coffee, play billiards, watch an incendiary dance show program, listen to poems by city poets.
Theater «Colon»
The opera house in Buenos Aires appeared in the middle of the 19th century. The building was rebuilt several times and changed its appearance, but always remained the cultural center of the capital. Its foyer is decorated with lush chandeliers and busts of famous musicians: Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, Wagner.
The auditorium can accommodate 2.5 thousand people. The theater regularly hosts opera and ballet performances, meetings with famous artists and creative evenings.
Zoo
One of the oldest zoos in Latin America is located in the center of Buenos Aires. 325 species of animals live on a large territory, some of them are listed in the international Red Book. Elephants, hippos, bison, tigers, monkeys, anteaters, giraffes walk in beautiful pavilions and landscaped enclosures.
Waterfowl and well-aimed animals can be seen in natural conditions. Ducks, geese, swans swim in the pond, and rabbits and lambs peacefully nibble grass on the lawns.
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