Plaza de Mayo (44 K)

Plaza de Mayo (Mayo Square) and Plaza de los Dos Congresos (Congress Square)

Plaza de Mayo (Balcarce, Rivadavia, Bolivar and Hipólito Yrigoyen Streets):
It is the original nucleus and historical centre of the city founded in 1580 by Don Juan of Garay.
Starting from 1810 the square became the scenario of all important political events of the country. Around the square there are historical buildings of different periods: the Casa Rosada (Pink House), Seat of the Government (XIX th century), the Cabildo and the Mayo Pyramid (1811) and the interior part of the Cathedral (Rivadavia and San Martín) are from colonial times .

Cathedral (Rivadavia and San Martin): In front of the Plaza de Mayo, the Cathedral is a colonial building with a neo-classic façade. The construction began at the beginning of the XVII th century and it was consecrated as Cathedral in 1622. It suffered important reformations at the end of the XVIII th century and beginnings of the XIX th century. In its interior there is a Baroque altar of the XVIII th century, the Christ has been carved in a piece of algarrobo, the frescoes are by the Italian Renaissance painter Pablo Parisi and the Chapel of the Sacrarium is of marble and brass. In a lateral chapel at the right is General San Martin's mausoleum (Argentine hero), is the work of the French sculptor Alberto Ernest Carrier Belleuse.

The National Bank (May 25 and Rivadavia Streets) The architect Alejandro Bustillo built the Bank in 1944. It is worthwhile entering it to admire its enormous dome and the wealth of its construction.

Plaza de Mayo (43 K)

Casa Rosada (Pink House) (in the Streets: Balcarce, Hipólito Yrigoyen, Paseo Colón and Rivadavia): Headquarters of the Executive Power, it was built in the place where the fort had been in colonial time. The current building of heterogeneous architecture with Italian influence is from 1894 and it is the result of the union of pre-existent buildings.
The architect was the engineer Francisco Tamburini. Here one can see the balcony from where Juan D. Perón used to speak to the people gathered in the Square. One can enter the building to visit the Government House Museum and a section of tunnels (see comment on Manzana de las Luces).

Museum of the Casa Rosada (Hipólito Yrigoyen 219; tel 54(11)4344-3600, int 3072) Mo to Fri from 10 to 18; Su from 14 to 18.

Church of San Ignacio (corner of Moreno and Bolivar): Its façade is the oldest in Buenos Aires (1710). In Romanic style, it has the characteristic design of the Jesuit churches with a central nave and two lateral naves with an upper gallery.

Basilica of Santo Domingo (in the corner of Av.Belgrano and Defensa): Its construction ended in 1799. In the atrium there is Manuel Belgrano's mausoleum, the work of the Italian sculptor Ettore Ximenes. In the tower one can still see holes of canyon bullets, shot during the English Invasions.

Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City) (Alsina 412; tel 54(11)4343-2123) Mo-SA from 11 to 19; Su from 15 to 19
In a house built in 1894, in the historical neighbourhood of Monserrat. The museum holds a collection of things from Buenos Aires, representative of its customs and its people.

Cabildo (Town council) Built in 1748 it was the seat of the viceroyalty, headquarters of the Virreinato del Río de la Plata. It was the place where the Revolution of May in 1810 started, the first movement for the Argentine independence. Here the National Historical Museum of the Town Council works.

Historical Museum of the Town Council and of the Revolution of May (Bolivar 65; tel 54(11)4334-1782) Mo-SA from 12.30 to 19; Su from 15 to 19.

Manzana de las Luces (in the streets Perú, Alsina, Bolivar and Moreno): In the year 1616 this place was given to the Jesuits who built San Ignacio's Church in the corner of Bolivar and Alsina. There is also the National School of Buenos Aires, where many public men and intellectuals were formed. It is worthwhile visiting the Attorney's office of the Missions, of the XVII th century, the oldest building in Buenos Aires.
They are very curious seven meters deep tunnels, which can also be visited. Its purpose remains unknown. They were probably used as a defence system and later on they were used by smugglers or even to hide forbidden loves.
Guided Tours in Perú 272; tel 54(11)4331-9534 Fri at 16.30 and Su and Su at 15.
In the Mercado de las Luces, from Monday to Friday from 11 to 19 one can buy crafts and antiques.

Square of the Two Congresses (57 K)

Square of the Two Congresses (streets Rivadavia, Entre Ríos, Hipólito Yrigoyen and Luis Sáenz Peña):
Built in 1914, this huge square has one of the best sculptures in Buenos Aires: The Thinker by Auguste Rodin. Congress (Entre Ríos, Hipólito Yrigoyen and Rivadavia)
In 1906, the Italian architect Victor Meano built this palace to harbour the house of parliament. Its dome stands with its winged images and trumpets.

Av.de Mayo (Street between the Congress and

Congreso (21 K)

the Casa Rosada): Opened up in 1894 and inspired by the Gran Vía in Madrid, its buildings represent the architecture of the first thirty years of the XX century. The first underground train of South.America was built under the avenue in 1913.