Retiro Neighborhood, Buenos Aires city, Argentina

Retiro, Buenos Aires neighborhood, is a place where the Spanish immigrants lived; its constructions are peculiar, especially which are located on Mayo Avenue. Its name comes from a mansion called Retiro, located on what now is San Martin square, main green area of the zone.

Retiro is on the adjacent to Recoleta neighborhoods to the north and San Nicolas to the south. It is surrounded by Eduardo Madero, Córdoba Avenues, Uruguay, Montevideo streets, and Ptes Ramón Castillo and Comodory Avenues.

It is the most important bus station of Buenos Aires, has different destinations. The buses routes are different and there are also three train stations and the Main Bus Station.

Retiro is famous because it is the bridgehead of the only Buenos Aires port. There are cargo and passenger ships. The “Buquebus” has different coastal Uruguay destinations.

PLACES TO VISIT

Plaza de Mayo
Rivadavia Avenue, Bolívar, Balcarce and Hipólito Irigoyen

It is considered the most historic square, was witness of the most important demonstrations, also national celebrations. Surroundings the “Casa Rosada” and Cabildo are located.

The “Pirámide de Mayo” (pyramid), monument built in honor to the first Argentinean government of 1810 is located in the square,

SAN MARTIN PALACE
Arenales 761

It is located in El Retiro neighborhood, in front of San Martin square, was designed by Alejandro Cristophersen architect who finished it in 1909. Nowadays, it is Ceremonial Chancellery see. Formerly, it was a house of Anchorena´s family.

San Martin palace is national historic monument. Inside, there are works of Argentinean and American artists of XX century, a pre-Columbian art collection of the Argentinean Chancellery, and a library specialized in international law and international relations history.

governement house
H. Irigoyen 219. Balcarce 50

It is known as” Casa Rosada” because of its color; is the official head office of Argentina government since the first Cabinet Meeting in 1810.

This construction as well as having a museum and exhibition rooms, it has also subterranean galleries, are 14 meters deep and covers to Paseo Colon avenue.

Balcarce 50 entering is the main one, in front of Mayo square, is watched over by the guards of “Granaderos”.

FLORIDA STREET

It is a pedestrian street of the city since 1970. In 1880, it was populated by big residences, an important architectonic framework in the zone.

Florida is one of the most important shoppings of the city; there are big stores, bookstores, clothing stores, jewelries, shoes stores, leather stores and so on.

Metropolitan Cathedral
Rivadavia and San Martín avenues

The most important catholic temple of the city was built in XVIII. It has neoclassic style, and inside there are mortal remains of General San Martin.

It is favored not only by its great architecture, history or richness, but also by its location, surrounded by national monuments like: The Cabildo, La Casa Rosada (Government House) and “La Gran Plaza” which has been the preferred place for celebrations or for demanding their rights since history beginnings to nowadays.

Banco de la Nación Argentina (bANK)
25 de Mayo and Bartolomé Mitre.

It was founded the 18th October in 1891; this building was the head office of Colon Theatre. Nowadays, it is the Banco de La Nación´s head office. People can visit the historic numismatic museum and Bustillo gallery art.

CIRCULO MILITAR (PALACIO PAZ)
Santa Fe 750

It is a mansion built by Jose Camilo Paz- known as Paz Palace-, is the head office of Circulo Militar; the building has three eaves and an interior garden; the entrance is located on San Martin Avenue. Nowadays, people can have guided visits by this magnificent French style palace whose draft was done by Louis Sortaris and Carlos Agote.

El Cabildo
Bolívar 65

Long years ago, the public building was declared national and historic monument. It was a meeting place for famous members of the community, the seat during the colonial epoch where the first assembly of May in 1810 was carried out.

Inside, the “Museo Histórico Nacional del Cabildo y la Revolución de Mayo” are, a museum where weapon collections, medals, and furniture are exhibited.

MUSEO DE ARMAS DE LA NACION (weapons museum)
Santa Fe 702 and Maipú

In the museum there are many objects of different epochs and war’s collections. Located in the town center, was founded by the General in 1904. It is divided in 17 rooms which exhibit objects from colonial epoch to nowadays. The museum shows the history through weapons, its development since middle ages to XX century.

Museo de la Ciudad (cIty museum)
Alsina 412

It was created in 1968, is the old part of the town. The museum conserves the Memory of Buenos Aires, its architecture and representative colonial objects. The museum mission is gathering together the history, the inhabitant’s life, their customs, and their architecture. “La Estrella” pharmacy is located inside the ground floor, conserves its original style of 1900, its shelves and paintings on the roof.

MUSEO DE LA INMIGRACIÓN (ImmigrationMuseum)
Antártida Argentina 1355

It functions in the former Pavilion of Immigrants Hotel which functioned from1911 to 1953, was built in order to offer services, accommodation to hundred of immigrants who arrived to our country. Nowadays, the museum has a collection of immigration history documents since the last decades of XIX century to about the middle of XX century.

RICCARDI JEWELLERY SHOP
Florida 1001

It is a distinguished jewellery shop in charged to manufacture the stick (which was handed over) for the Argentinean presidents. It was opened in 1925.

de Mayo Avenue

It was 14 blocks long, then after the creation of Congress Square. It covers only a block, this avenue was and continues being the place for politic demonstration and social marches.

Many buildings of XIX century’s last decade and the first decades of XX century can be appreciated along the avenue. It is a perfect place to have walks.

SAN MARTIN SQUARE
Between Santa Fe, Del Libertador Avenue, Florida, Crucero Belgrano

It is one of the oldest squares of the city, date back to the beginnings of XIX century. Thanks to its exuberant vegetation is catalogued as one of the most beautiful. It has varied trees and monuments such as in honor to San Martin, to the Granaderos, and so on. It also has sculptures like La Duda, historic sculptures of Charles Cordier.

Café Tornoni
De Mayo Avenue 825

It was founded in 1858, is the oldest one in Argentina. It has been frequented by different great personalities, a place for visiting and enjoying a delicious coffee, snacks or some desert.

Nowadays, in the evenings there are tango shows and a permanent art exhibition.

BASILICA DEL SANTISIMO SACRAMENTO
San Martín 1035

It was Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena, aristocrat woman, who ordered to build it. The work was finished in 1916 and designed by to French architects.

Among the attractions, the most important one is the custody built with gold and silver; a French management of 1912; important vitraux and marble ornamentals, blue granite, bronze and Venetian mosaic

National congress
Entre Ríos and Rivadavia Avenues

It was declared historic monument, is the head office of Senators and Members of Parliament of the country. It has Greco-Roman style, was inaugurated in 1906 and covers 9000 m 2. Inside, there is a great dome 65 meters high on the top.

Plaza del Congreso
Entre Ríos and Rivadavia avenues

It is located in front of the Congress, was created in 1910, covers 3 blocks, was inaugurated in commemoration to May Revolution.

From there, it is possible to appreciate the Congress building and the Monument to the Congresses.

KAVANAGH BUILDING
Florida 1065

It is located on the side of San Martin square. It was in charged of Corina Kavanagh in 1934, was inaugurated in 1936. That time, it was the highest building of South America and won many national and international awards. It is said that it was built in order to hide the Basilica del Santísimo Sacramento view, as revenge against Anchorena family.

RETIRO BUS STATION
Ramos Mejía 1358

It is a local bus station was inaugurated in 1915, according the engineering and English architects Project. Nowadays, it is the main one, has different destinations and many companies offer transportation services.

TORRE MONUMENTAL (DE LOS INGLESES)
Fuerza Aérea Argentina Square

It is located in San Martin and Libertador avenues, in the middle of Britannia square (Plaza Areonáutica Argentina). It was built by British residents in commemoration to the Centenary of May Revolution. It was donated by them to Argentina in 1916. The tower has a clock, which size is 4.5 meters and has clockwork with a-100 kilos-pendulum. Inside, there is an historic gallery and a photography one. The tower changed its name to Monumental Tower, after the Malvinas war in 1982, but people continue calling it “Torre de los Ingleses”(English Tower).

 TOTEM KWAKIUTIS
Canadá Square

It is situated in Canada square, is a wooden cedar post, 21 meters high, donated by the Canadian government in 1964. The draws represent different totemic animals of Kwakiutis.

In descendant order we can appreciate: the eagle, the sea lion, the marine otter, the whale, the beaver, cannibal bird and the man.