Architectural, Cultural sights in Buenos Aires
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A
Casa Rosada
Standing before this rosy Renaissance-style palace, you can easily imagine Eva Perón pontificating from the lower balcony. This is the Casa Rosada (Pink House), home to Argentina’s presidential offices. Construction began in 1862 on the site of Buenos Aires’ fort, and the building was painted pink shortly after. Visitors marvel at the picturesque coral hue without realizing the gritty fact behind it – at the end of the 19th century, ox blood added color and texture to ordinary whitewash.
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B
El Abasto
The bustling barrios of Abasto and Once, while a little dodgy at night, are part of the ‘real’ Buenos Aires that’s largely unaffected by the tourist trade. Walk west from Congreso along Av Corrientes, or take a quick taxi or Subte ride, to reach this cultural melting pot and commercial district crammed with colorful fabric shops and family-run Jewish and Peruvian eateries. The neighborhood’s centerpiece is the historic Mercado de Abasto, previously a massive fresh produce market and now a beautifully restored structure that houses the shopping mall called simply El Abasto. Nearby, on a gentrified street off Av Anchorena is the former home of tango legend Carlos Ga…
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C
Pasaje de la Defensa
In the late 19th century a yellow-fever epidemic hit San Telmo and drove the rich into higher ground, west and north of the present-day Microcentro. As European immigrants began to pour into the city, many older mansions in San Telmo became conventillos (tenements) to house poor families. One such conventillo was the Pasaje de la Defensa. Originally built for the Ezeiza family in 1880, it later housed 32 families. These days, it’s a charmingly worn building with antique shops clustered around atmospheric leafy patios.
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D
Palacio San Martín
Built in 1912 for the powerful Anchorena family, this impressive mansion is actually three independent buildings around a stone courtyard. It was designed by architect Alejandro Christophersen and sports marble staircases, grandiose dining rooms and a garden containing a chunk of the Berlin Wall. A small but good museum displays pre-Columbian artifacts from the northwest, along with some paintings by Latin American artists. Tours are available; call for more information.
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E
Palacio Paz
This gorgeous palace, also called the Círculo Militar, was once the private residence of José C Paz, founder of the still-running newspaper La Prensa. Inside are ornate rooms, salons and halls with wood-tiled floors, marble walls and gilded details. Nearly everything was ordered from Europe and assembled here. Tours in English (AR$34) are at 3:30pm Wednesday and Thursday.
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F
Palais de Glace
The name (and circular shape) give it away – the Palais de Glace was once the ice-skating rink of BA’s high society. The glamorous belle-epoque structure, built in 1910, also served as a tango ballroom before being declared a National Monument in 2004. Now the landmark building exhibits visual arts; on weekend afternoons, guided tours of the building (in English) start at 5pm (bookings required).
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G
Jardín Botánico Carlos Thays
Escape the din of Plaza Italia inside this lush botanical garden, designed by renowned landscape architect Carlos Thays and opened in 1898. It blooms with over 3000 tree and plant species, Roman-style sculptures, floating lily pads on still ponds and an antique iron-and-glass greenhouse originally shown at the 1900 Paris Exhibition.
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H
Palacio Haedo
On an odd triangular block at the corner of Florida and Santa Fe, the neo-Gothic Palacio Haedo was the mansion of the Haedo family at the turn of the 19th century; it now houses the country’s national park service.
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