Plaza San Martín La Duda, escultura de C. H. J. Cordier (1827-1905) (46 K)

Retiro & Recoleta

Retiro: it the area between the streets Florida, Viamonte, Libertad and the Av. del Libertador

Plaza San Martín (San Martín Square)
It is the most important square in Buenos Aires, after the Plaza de Mayo. The equestrian monument of San Martin by the French sculptor Louis Joseph Daumes can be seen here. The Monument to the Dead in the Malvinas also deserves a visit.
Retiro Station
It is placed on lands formerly occupied by the Río de la Plata. The first station caught fire in 1897. The new station finished in 1914, is very big. From there one can leave for San Isidro and Tigre to visit the Delta of the Paraná River.
Hotel Marriott Plaza
One of the most traditional hotels in the city, built in 1909.
Círculo Militar
The construction of this palace took 22 years. Up to 1935 it belonged to the family Paz, the founder of the newspaper La Prensa. At the moment it is the headquarters of the Military Circle. There the Museum of Weapons of the Nation works (Av.Santa Fe 750; tel 54(11)4311-1071) Tu-Fri from 14.30 to 19; Sa-Su from 14 to 18 .
Monumental Tower (former English Tower):
Although the name was changed the porteños still call it the English Tower. Located in front of the railway station Retiro, it was the gift from the English community to the country in the centennial anniversary of its independence. It is 70m high.
Guided visits from Av.del Libertador and San Martin, front of Retiro Station) Sa-Su 10, 11.30, 14.30 and 16 in January and February Sa-Su 10 and 11.30.
San Martin Palace
Built in 1909 as the residence of the family Anchorena, today this mansion is the property of the Argentine Chancellery and it is used for special receptions to foreign governments' representatives. Guided visits in Arenales 761; tel 54(11)4819-7000, int 7985 on Thursdays at 11 and 12 and on Fri at 15, 16, 17 and 18.
National Parks
This building belong to an aristocratic family and today it is the headquarters of the National Parks.
Kavanagh Building
When it was built, in 1936, it was the highest building in South America. It was the first skyscraper of Buenos Aires; this 20 meters high building was for a long time, a symbol of the city.
Museum of Spanish American Art Isaac Fernández Blanco
(Suipacha 1422; tel 54(11)4327-0228) Tu-Su from 14 to 19
It is one of the most important colonial art collections in the continent. Colonial silver work of Perú and the Rio de la Plata; , paintings of the Peruvian and Cuzco school, imagery from Quito, furniture from Brazil and ornamental arts of the republican period.
Patio Bullrich
The old auction house Bullrich was recycled into a luxurious commercial gallery.
Florida
It is the best known street of the city where one can shop and admire the artists that spontaneously carry out all kinds of exhibitions: mimes, live statues, musicians, tango dancers and much more.
Avenida Alvear:
It is one of the most beautiful avenues in Buenos Aires. It is worthwhile visiting it to admire the mansions of a time of splendour.
Beginning with the Square Carlos Pellegrini where there are the embassies of France (former house of the Ortíz Basualdo family) and of Brazil (former house of the Pereda family) and the Jockey Club. Further on, the Apostolic Nunciatura (former house of the Fernández de Anchorena family), the Duhau residence and in front the mansion of the Casares family; at 1700 the House of the National Academiy and the Alvear Gallery and at the end of the 1800, the Alvear Palace Hotel.

One gets from Retiro to the Recoleta along the Avenida Alvear.

Recoleta (21 K)

Recoleta

This neighbourhood looks like Paris. It is a posh shopping area, with well-known restaurants, cafés and streets.

Cemetery
(Junín 1760) Mo-Su from 7 to 17.45.
In the place that today occupies the cemetery there was a convent of the Recoleto Friars. Itt began to be built in 1715.
The Iglesia del Pilar was inaugurated in 1732 and the cemetery that was only used to bury the friars became public in 1822 with the name of Cementerio General del Norte. It was called Recoleta because of the name of the friars.
Basílica del Pilar (Junín 1904):
Built in 1732, it is one of the best examples of Argentine colonial architecture. The altar in Baroque style is covered by silver badges, made in Alto Perú (today Bolivia). The clock at the front is of English origin and the relics of the saints Urban, Victor and Juan were brought from Spain in 1777 for the Basilica.
Facultad de Derecho (Av.Figueroa Alcorta):
It belongs to the University of Buenos Aires, its architecture resembles that of the Faculty of Engineering but it was built in the middle of the park.
Palais de Glace (Posadas 1725; tel 54(11)4805-4354)
Scenario of art exhibitions. Consult calendar (every day from 11 to 21.30).
National library (Agüero 2502; tel 54(11)4806-1929)(Mo to Sa from 8 to 21 Su from 11 to 21)
The writer Jorge Luis Borges imagined this construction in 1958, when he was its director. The building was projected by the architect Clorindo Testa and inaugurated in 1992.
Centro Cultural Recoleta (Junín 1930; tel 54(11)4803-1041)(Tu to Fri from 14 to 21, Sa and Su from 10 to 21).
They are the old cloisters of a convent, recycled in 1980. There are all sorts of shows, exhibitions and vanguard movements.
National Museum of Fine Arts (Av.del Libertador 1473; tel 54(11)4803-0802)(Tu to Fri from 12.30 to 19.30 Sa- Su from 9.30 to 19.30)
It is the main museum of art in Argentina and one of the most noted from in America.
National Museum of Ornamental Art (Av.del Libertador 1902; tel 54(11)4801-8248)(the whole week from 14 to 19)
Here one can find paintings of the Spanish mannerism and of the French Impressionistic school, Renaissance and Baroque furniture, tapestries, porcelain and silver work.
Museum of Oriental Art (Av.del Libertador 1902; tel 54(11)4801-5988) Mo to Sa from 14 to 19; Su from 15 to 19 .
Buenos Aires Design y Paseo del Pilar (Av.Pueyrredón 2501)
Commercial centre dedicated to decoration and with a great variety of restaurants.
Museum of Argentinean Culture José Hernández (Av.del Libertador 2373; Wen to Fri from 13 to 19;tel 54(11)4802-7294; http://www.naya.org.ar/mujose) MI-VI de 13 a 19 hs;
Interested in preserving argentine folklore and traditions.