|
|
Recoleta |
|
|
This exclusive area of the city gathers historical buildings and a group of excellent restaurants, night clubs and café shops, in a magnificent aristocrat environment. The name of this neighborhood bears a relation with the convent of the Recoleto Fathers. In the nearness, you will find the church “Del Pilar”, built in 1732 and also the historical and famous Recoleta Cemetery, where many historical Argentine leaders and aristocrats are buried.
In this area, you will also find the National Library, the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Palais de Glace, the Faculty of Law, the University of Buenos Aires and the Recoleta Cultural Center, places that give the area artistic and cultural airs.
It has turned into the most “European” corner of the city of Buenos Aires, as its squares are packed with street artists, living statues and top-level shows.
Having a coffee in “La Biela”, one of the most traditional café shops, is a must. It is located in the corner of Quintana Av. and Ortiz St.
It is highly recommended to walk through the area comprised by Alvear, Quintana and Callao avenues, and Posadas, Ayacucho, Guido and Rodríguez Peña streets. Even though this is a residential neighborhood, its night life is pretty active around Ortiz, Guido and Vicente López streets, surrounding Recoleta’s Cemetery. The complex “Buenos Aires Design” stands out: it counts with top shops specialized in architecture and decoration, fancy bars and restaurants wish live shows and music. Near this complex you will find “Plaza Francia” (Square France). Every weekend there is a crafts fair and shows by street artists.
In Vicente López and Junín streets, you will find the movie theater complex “Village Recoleta”: it counts with a parking lot, 16 movie theaters, a bookstore and varied bars and restaurants around this elegant area.
Near this place, you will find the area known as “La Isla”, surrounded by Gelli y Obes, Copérnico y Galileo streets up to Las Heras Av., Agüero St., del Libertador Av. and Luis Agote St., where you will find sophisticated buildings, majestic mansions used as embassies. You cannot miss walking through this area! There are many gardens and squares such as Plaza Mitre and Plaza Francia.
Turned into the night life center chosen by the local elite, during the weekends it is a nice pedestrian precinct.
Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Pilar (“Nuestra Señora del Pilar” church)
At the beginnings of the 18th century, the barefoot monks “Recoletos” settled in this area. They belonged to a Spanish friar order. In 1732, the Jesuit architect Giovanni Andrea Bianchi designed for them this church, in a colonial style, and the work was completed by Juan Bautista Prémoli. Between 1930 and 1945, the architect André Millé gave back its original appearance. The Pas-de-Calais glazed tiles are still kept and they decorate the cupola of the tower in its left end, and the original spherical clock located in its steeple situated in the right end of the tower cupola.
In its interior, you will find the high altar and the six lateral chapels in a late Baroque style.
In spite of the European air, religious, architectural and decorative, in front of the silver altar, there is an Inca sun. This detail reminds of the anonymous contribution of Indian artists.
From Quintana Av. you get an interesting panoramic view of this church. It has been declared national Historical Landmark.
Cementerio de la Recoleta (Recoleta Cemetery)
In 1822, part of the orchard that belonged to the friars was given over to build the Recoleta Cemetery. The original design is from the engineer Próspero Catelín. Then it was remodeled under the direction of Juan Buschiazzo.
It is considered one of the four most valued cemeteries of the world as regards its architectural style and it is highly recommended to go on a guided visit.
The building styles of vaults and mausoleums which belong to the most aristocrat families and the most distinguished Argentine figures are neocolonial, neoclassic and baroque.
Many figures from Argentine history and national politics are buried in this cemetery, such as: Cornelio Saavedra, Carlos María de Alvear, Torcuato de Alvear, Máximo Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear, Manuel Dorrego, Juan Lavalle, Juan Bautista Alberdi, Domingo F. Sarmiento, Almirante Guillermo Brown, Facundo Quiroga, Juan Manuel de Rosas, Bartolomé Mitre, Nicolás Avellaneda, Adolfo Alsina, Manuel Quintana, Roque Sáenz Peña, Hipólito Irigoyen, Arturo Illia, Eva Duarte de Perón, apart from ancestors of the most traditional families of the country such as the Alzaga, Cambaceres, López Lecube, Menéndez, Ortiz Basualdo and Elizalde, among others. Inside the cemetery you will find works by Lola Mora, Zonza Briano, Correa Morales, José Fioravanti and Arturo Dresco, among others.
The cemetery can be visited every day from 9 am to 7 pm an every last Sunday of each month, between March and November, there are free guided visits, starting at 2.30 pm., except if it rains.
Monumento a Torcuato de Alvear (Monument to Torcuato de Alvear)
The monument, a work by the sculptor Joris and Lauer, was inaugurated in 1900 in honor to the first governor of the city of Buenos Aires, at ten years from his demise, in the square “Intendente Alvear”. The remains of Torcuato de Alvear, together with his son’s remains, Marcelo Tocuato de Alvear, who was president of Argentina, rest in the Alvear mausoleum situated in Recoleta’s cemetery, declared National Historical Landmark.
Centro Cultural Recoleta (Recoleta’s cultural center)
Situated next to “Nuestra Señora del Pilar” church, in 1930 Junin St., it used to be an old cloister of the Recoleto Fathers in 1732, and was recycled in 1980 in order to turn it into a cultural center, keeping its cloisters in the colonial baroque style.
There are art exhibitions in general, aimed to promote the local artist’s activities. Besides, there are modeling, sculpture, photography and movie exhibitions, among other artistic expressions.
It is open from Tuesdays to Fridays from 2 pm to 9 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays from 10 am to 9 pm.
Inside this center you will find the Science Museum, which is open from Mondays to Fridays from 9 am to 4 pm; and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 3 pm to 8 pm. Children under four have free access.
Near this center, in the square “Intendente Alvear”, there is a crafts fair on weekends and public holidays from 9 am to 7.30 pm.
Patio Bullrich
This is a very traditional old building, having its access through 750 Del Libertador Av. and 1245 Posada St., combining a modern style with an exquisite esthetic, being one of the top-level shopping malls of Argentina.
This elegant building was built for the Bullrich family by the architect Wilder, in the 19th century, in a prosperous period of the country.
The most renowned national and international brands for all ages are present in this mall, offering a wide variety of products, such as music, books, jewelry, fine lingerie, furs, leather products and all kinds of formal and informal clothes. The stores are open every day from 10 am to 9 pm.
The mall also counts with six movie theaters equipped with state-of-the-art technology in image and sound. Besides, it counts with an attractive food court used as a meeting point for all tastes: from fast food to haute cuisine menus. The food court is open from Mondays to Tuesdays from 10 am to 0.30 am and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 1.30 am.
Alvear Palace Hotel
This elegant hotel was inaugurated in 1932. It is situated in 1891 Alvear Av., and it was created in a period called “Belle Epoque”, representing a symbol of this period. This is a six-story building, with a five-story basement, splendid halls and restaurants soberly decorated. The different rooms are decorated in the Louis XIV and Louis XVI intermediate styles and some of them reproduce renowned pieces of French decorative art. This work was conceived by a businessman called De Miero, in collaboration with the decorator Verchere, the architects Brodsky and Pirovano, the engineers Escudero and Ortúzar. Later, Medhust Thomas and Harris would end the decoration works in the hotel.
In 1984, a group of Argentine businessmen took charge of the hotel, making an important remodeling and incorporating state-of-the-art technology but keeping its classic and sophisticated style.
The hotel counts with 210 rooms, including 125 suites, beautifully decorated in the Louis XV style. It counts with a Business Center, Health Club and you can enjoy the best haute cuisine in the restaurants “L´Oringerie”, “Jardín D´Hiver” and “La Bourgogne”, the only Relais Gourmand of Argentina, with its exquisite French cuisine on the hands of the French chef Jean Paul Bondoux.
In 1993, the Alvear Palace Hotel has been appointed member of The Leading Hotels of The World. For sure this is one of the reasons why this hotel was chosen by important personalities such as Antonio Banderas, Carolina Herrera, Paloma Picasso, Catherine Deneuve, Claudia Schiffer, Donatella Versace, Georce Soros, Helmut Kolh, Lee Iaccoca, Michael Scumacher, Nelson Mandela, Oscar de la Renta, Sharon Stone, Shimon Perez, Joan Collins, Sarah Fergusson, Lalo Schifrin, Carlos Saura, Sean Connery, Charlton Heston, Vittorio Gassman, Sofía Loren, Eric Clapton, Soichiro Toyoda, Kenzo Takada, Joan Manuel Serrat, Severiano Ballesteros, Geraldine Chaplin and Ted Turner, among others.
Avenida Quintana y Avenida Alvear (Quintana and Alvear Avenues)
The European influence, above all Parisian influence, makes itself evident in these elegant parallel avenues, both worth of visiting. They present traditional mansions and top-quality buildings, apart from renowned international boutiques of famous designers such as Armani, Ralph Lauren, Versace, Ermenegildo Zegna, Hermes, Kenzo, Escada, Nina Ricci and Louis Vuitton, among others. Some fashion houses have brought its furniture from its country of origin.
This area was chosen by traditional families to build their houses, mansions that date back to the end of the 19th century and beginnings of the 20th. Worth noticing is the Álzaga Unzué mansion (1455 Cerrito St.); the building which belonged to the Ortiz Basualdo family and where now the Embassy of France is situated (1390 Cerrito St.); and the Pereda palace, where now the Embassy of Brazil is situated (1130 Arroyo St.).
Complejo Village Recoleta (“Village Recoleta” complex)
This is an entertainment complex inaugurated in 1999, with movie theaters which have state-of-the-art technology in image and sound, apart from book stores, record shops, restaurants, theme bars, pubs, a food court and an underground parking lot. It is situated in the heart of one of the most attractive neighborhoods of the city, comprised by Vicente López, Junín and Uriburu Streets. It is recommended to visit it during the day and also at night.
Buenos Aires Design
Located in 2501 Pueyrredón Av., it is a modern shopping mall and unique in its kind because it is specialized in design, decoration and house and architecture devices. Between Pueyrredón and Del Libertador Avenues, in a tourist area surrounded by gardens, museums and cultural centers, you will find this mall with all the proposals you needs to decorate your house.
The bars and restaurants of all sorts are situated in the wide area of level ground, used as a terrace.
Buenos Aires Design holds sixty commercial alternatives with the best design and decoration brands.
This proposal is complemented with a wonderful terrace of more than 3,000 m2, with twelve restaurants which offer different gastronomic alternatives, from the traditional “asado criollo” (barbecue) to the renowned Hard Rock Café.
The decoration mall is open from Mondays to Sundays from 10 am to 9 pm and on Sundays from 12 pm to 9 pm. The restaurants terrace is open from Sundays to Thursdays from 11 am to 1 am, and on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays eve from 11 am to 3 am.
Monumento de Francia a la Argentina (Monument from France to Argentina)
On the occasion of the May Revolution of 1810, the French community gave as a gift this monument in 1910. It is located in the center of the Plaza Francia between Levene and Del Libertador Avenues. The author of this piece of art was the French sculptor Peynot; the monument is an allegory of glorious France and Argentina.
Plaza Francia is a charming square, with ravines that end in Del Libertador Av. It is situated in front of the complex Buenos Aires Design.
Salas Nacionales de Cultura y Exposición o Salón Nacional de Artes Plásticas (Palais de Glace) (Plastic Arts National Hall, Palais de Glace)
It was built in the 20th century (in 1911), aimed to be used as a skating rink. Later, it turned into a popular dance hall and from 1912, tango adopted the leading role.
The halls of this palace were remodeled by the architect Alejandro Bustillo and inaugurated as Fine Arts hall in 1932.
It is located in 1725 Posadas St. and since 1978 it functions as the Plastic Arts National Hall, known as Palais de Glace, an interesting option for the lovers of art.
Its halls are big circular spaces, lit during the day by its glass cupola, where temporary painting and sculpture exhibitions take place.
It is open from Mondays to Fridays from 1 pm to 8 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 pm to 8 pm. Tel: 4805-4354.
Parque Carlos Thays (Carlos Thays Park)
With one of its ends in the intersection of Del Libertador and Callao avenues, this is an attractive park situated in a picturesque area of the city, a nice area to walk by and have a good time. Besides it counts with the modern sculpture “Torso Masculino” by the Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
Between this beautiful park in honor to the French landscape designer Carlos Thays and the south wing of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, the famous sculpture “La Cautiva” is located, near the intersection of Pueyrredón and Figueroa Alcorta avenues. The sculpture belongs to the Argentine Lucio Correa Morales, who painted portraits of Indians and natives, thus representing in his masterly works the danger of extinction of the aborigines in face of the strong social changes the country was going through at the beginnings of the 20th century. The sculpture represents a captive Indian watching, from a distance, with melancholy and pain, her old dwelling place accompanied by her children and a dog.
Monumento al General Carlos María de Alvear (Monument to the General Carlos María de Alvear)
The location of this stunning equestrian monument designed by the talented Bourdelle is in the intersection of Posadas St. and Alvear Av.
The work came from France in 1925. It presents the figure of the General Carlos María de Alvear mounted over a slender horse. It was inaugurated in 1926 in the city of Buenos Aires.
Carlos María de Alvear (1789-1852), an Argentine military man and politician who fostered the independence from the Spanish crown, was the grandfather of Torcuato de Alvear, the first governor the city had.
Plazoleta San Martín de Tours (Small square “San Martín de Tours”)
This small square, named after the patron saint of the city of Buenos Aires, has a ravine that extends from Alvear St. up to Posadas St. and it stands out because of the wide variety of trees and plants it presents, the majority of them planted in the 18th century by the renowned Recoleto monks who inhabited the convent of Pilar.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (MNBA) y Plaza Urquiza (Fine Arts Nacional Museum and square “Urquiza”)
Located in 1473 Del Libetador Av., it offers a permanent exhibition with a wide collection of Argentine works from the 19th and 20th centuries by the following artists: Prilidiano Pueyrredón, Pellegrini, Morel, Della Valle, Sívori and Spilimbergo among others. There is also an important permanent collection of masterpieces from foreign artists, among them El Greco, Goya, Manet, Monet, Degas, Rodin, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh.
The MNBA was created in 1895 and it opened its doors in 1896, under the management of the painter Eduardo Schiaffino. Its 32 halls constantly present national as well as international exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and engravings, among other arts. In the first floor there are temporary exhibitions, an architecture exhibition hall and two sculpture courtyards with a beautiful view to the Figueroa Alcorta Av. and the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences.
Admission is free as well as all the activities in the museum. From Tuesdays to Fridays and on Sundays it is open from 12.30 pm to 7.30 pm; on Saturdays from 9 am to 7 pm. There are guided visits from Tuesdays to Fridays and on Sundays at 4 pm, 5 pm and 6 pm and on Saturdays at 5 pm and 6 pm. Tel: 4803-0802.
You can buy copies, catalogues, books and banner on the stores of the Museum.
In the park where this interesting museum is situated, there are two sculptures by Bourdelle. One is “Hércules Arquero”, which represents the symbol of strength, and the other is “El Último Centauro”, representing the death of paganism. There are two more sculptures in this park, by Meunier: “El Sembrador” and “El Segador”, representing figures of field workers.
Plaza Mitre y Monumento Ecuestre de Bartolomé Mitre (Square “Mitre” and Equestrian monument “Bartolomé Mitre”)
In the intersection of Agüero St. and Del Libertador Av., you will find the beautiful “Plaza Mitre” (Mitre square) and its equestrian monument “Bartolomé Mitre”, a work by the Italian sculptors Rubino and Calandra. The bronze equestrian figure represents the founder of the Argentine newspaper “La Nación” and president of the country from 1862 to 1868.
Plaza Chile y Plaza Uruguay (Squares “República de Chile” and “República Oriental del Uruguay”)
These two wide squares are separated by Tagle St. and escorted by Del Libertador and Figueroa Alcorta avenues.
In the square “República de Chile”, you will find the sculpture “Arquero de San Sebastián”, a work by the Argentine sculptor Alberto Lagos. Besides, there is another group of sculptures named “Colaboradores del General San Martín”, with sculptures of different people who took part in the process of the country’s independence from the Spanish Crown: Alejandro Aguado, the Generals Martín de Pueyrredón, Gregorio Las Heras, Álvarez de Arenales and Juan Martín de Güemes. You will also find the sculpture of Bernardo O’Higgins, a Chilean military man.
In the square “República Oriental del Uruguay”, apart from its beautiful trees and plants, there lies the monument to José Gervasio Artigas (1764-1850), considered the founder of the Uruguayan nationality.
Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo (National Museum of Decorative Art)
It is a majestic and elegant building in the French neoclassic style, built in 1911 for the Errázuriz family.
The entrance gate to this museum is inspired in the design of the Petit Trianon of the Versailles Palace in France.
In its interior you will find beautiful chandeliers, amazing tapestries and carpets, fine porcelain, glasses, sculptures and European paintings, apart from elegant furniture and relics that belonged to the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The majority of the objects belonged to the family Errázuriz and de Alvear, two aristocrat families of the country.
It is highly recommended to visit the oil painting “El Greco” situated in the “Gran Hall”, which is the main and biggest hall of the museum, situated in the first floor. The main halls of this splendorous palace lead to the terrace, from where you can get a beautiful panoramic view of the green Palermo woods. Each one of the palace’s halls bears the mark of the most important European designers.
One of the most distinguished halls of the museum is a hall in the Louis XIV style, with a marble coating and, and also in the Louis XVI style, with furniture and ironworks especially brought form France.
The ballroom is characterized by having an ivory-colored paneling, with golden details. There is another hall which was decorated by the Catalan painter Josep Sert. It differentiates from the rest of the halls as Sert was the forerunner of art deco.
The “Tatiana Zouboff” hall is worth visiting also. It presents a collection of miniatures from Russian origin. In the basement of the museum there is an art library.
The museum is open every day (admittance is free on Tuesdays) from 2 pm to 7 pm. It is highly recommended to hire a guided visit (from Tuesdays to Sundays at 4.30 pm).
The museum is situated in 1902 Del Libertador Av. Tel: 4806-8306
Biblioteca Nacional (National Library)
It was inaugurated in 1992 and it presents the largest bibliographic volume of the American continent.
This magnificent building is situated over a park called “Plaza del Lector”, located between Austria and Agüero streets. It was designed by the architects Clorindo Testa, Francisco Bullrich and Alicia Cazzanica. It is a 13-story building and it holds more than 1,8 million volumes. It has an auditorium, an art gallery, a newspaper library, among other halls. Besides, it counts with a special room for blind people.
It presents old books of great value, such as the ones published in the first printing houses in 1450, manuscripts from José Hernández, author of the “Martín Fierro”, and the first edition of the Don Quixote.
Near this modern library you will find the square “Rubén Darío”. Crossing this square, you will get to the flight of steps which lead to the National Library.
You can visit it from Mondays to Saturdays from 8 pm to 9 pm. and on Sundays from 12 pm to 8 pm. Free admittance. There are guided visits from Mondays to Fridays at 4 pm. Tel: 4806-4721.
Edificio del Automóvil Club Argentino (ACA) (Building of the Argentine Automobile Club)
This renowned twelve-story building, with three basements, is located in 1850 Del Libertador Av. It was built in 1943 by the talented engineer Vilar. The “Automóvil Club Argentino (ACA)” is a non-profit organism which offers different services to national automobile drivers.
There is an Automobile Museum, where you will find old cars such as the 1949 Ferrari, the 1924 Hudson, the 1904 De Dion Bouton, the 1904 Darracq, the 1892 Daimler, the 1971 Brabham BT36, the 1911 Wanderer, apart from other elements such as gas pumps, the first female driver’s license, etc. You can visit the museum from Mondays to Fridays from 10 am to 5 pm. Admittance is free. Tel: 4801-1837. It also counts with a Tourism Department where you can buy several maps and find information about the tourism in Argentina.
Nunciatura Apostólica (The Apostolic Nunciature)
It is a majestic palace situated in 1637 Alvear Av. It was built in 1909 by the architect Eduardo Le Monnier commissioned by Juan Antonio Fernández and Rosa de Anchorena. But they never inhabited the palace because they traveled to Europe and settled there.
From 1922 to 1928, during Máximo Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear’s presidency, the building was rented to be used as the residence of the president.
In 1930, it was bought by Adelia Harilaos de Olmos, who would donate it in 1949 to the Vatican in order to establish its diplomatic quarter in the country. Pope John Paul II stayed in the palace during his two visits to Argentina in 1982 and 1987.
Residencia y Palacio Duhau (Duhau palace and residence)
This French neoclassical residence is located in 1671 Alvear Av. and it was built in 1932 commissioned by the Duhau brothers, who belonged to an aristocratic family of Buenos Aires.
The Duhau Palace is on of the oldest buildings situated in Alvear Av. as it dates back to 1890 and was bought by the Duhau in 1920.
The first art exhibition of the city took place in this palace, with objects from individual collectors.
In 2003 the recycling work on the palace started, together with the excavation work on the gardens of the palace, without changing the essence of the building, in order to build the Hyatt hotel, which now is called “Four Seasons”, being one of the best hotels in the city.
The main entrance is situated in Alvear Av. In the piano nobile of the Palace the restaurant is situated and in the others floors there are the suites, spa and gymnasium, apart from the lobby.
The palace’s façade excels in splendor. Both buildings, the old and the new one, present a unified vision, although the new building has a contemporary architectonic style in keeping with the urban heritage.
The Apostolic Nunciature, the Duhau Palace and Residence are three buildings situated in the same block, making up a homogenous architectonic quality, in spite of the differences they present.
Floraris Genérica (La Flor Gigante de Buenos Aires) (The giant flower of Buenos Aires)
This work, which symbolizes all flowers, is made up by aluminum and steel. It weighs approximately 18 tons. It was donated by the Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano.
This huge flower is lit by sixty light fittings during the night. Besides you can see its reflection in the huge water mirror, surrounded by perimeter paths.
The huge metal flower is made up by six petals, each one weighing 3,500 kilos, assembled over a conical structure. In its interior there are pistils made up by four conical columns of different height. The internal lighting is made up by two spotlights per petal.
The irrigation system is subterranean with sixty sprinklers and eighty nozzles to keep it always neat.
The flower works by a complex mechanism through which the petals start to move with the first sun rays until it opens completely. At sunset, it starts to close. All its movements are controlled by a computers’ system. The closing time depends on the season: from December 21st, when summer starts in Argentina, it closes at 7 pm; from June 21st when winter season starts it closes at 4 pm. The flower will remain open all day on these dates: May 25th (commemoration of the creation of the first national government), September 21st (spring day), December 24th (Christmas Eve) and December 31st (New Year’s Eve) and every night with new moon (thirteen days a year).
This beautiful flower is situated in the square “Naciones Unidas”, surrounded by Libres del Sur, Tagle and Figueroa Alcorta avenues. |
|
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
