Manzana de las Luces

“La Manzana de las Luces” is located in Buenos Aires city and is delimited by Alsina, Bolívar, and Moreno and Peru streets, in Monserrat Neighborhood.

It has some of the oldest buildings in Buenos Aires city, like San Ignacio, the most antique church in the city. The name was propose by Argos Newspaper in 1821 and refers to the educational and cultural establishments that work at “La Manzana” centuries ago.

Its plan was draw  in the first Buenos Aires city map of 1580, In 1661 it was given to the Jesuits, which in “La Manzana” built a church, a school, a pharmacy, a printer and a general office of its missions.

San Ignacio School opened in 1662 and soon it become in the gathering point of the porteños intellectuals. In 1863, the Argentine state took control of the school that still was located at La Manzana, and it renames it to "Colegio Nacional Buenos Aires". Nowadays is one of the most prestigious secondary schools of the city along Carlos Pellegrini School.

After the expulsion of the Jesuit order, in 1767, in the place was settled the medicine school, the national library, the first national museum; Buenos Aires University, the first porteño theater; the jurisprudence academy; the architecture and exact sciences faculties.

Under the “La Manzana” runs a tunnel net of the XVII and XVIII centuries that gathers buildings and churches of the center with Buenos Aires Fort. Many theories assure that the tunnels were built to defend the city against the pirates and for the smuggling.

What to visit

Representatives Saloon: Here used to be in session the representative’s board, the provincial Legislature and the National Congress.

Attorney Missions office: (Peru and Alsina corner) Here used to work the Jesuit mission administration and a pharmacy organized by the Irish Jesuit Thomas Falkner.

Museum: Along XVIII century, the Jesuits built a tunnel net that communicates under ground the buildings located in the actual “Manzana de las Luces”. It was opened to the public in 1983. Two tunnels traced south to north were crossed by a third tunnel with numerous extensions. To start the tour you will descent to the first subsoil and from there to the second subsoil, were is possible to observe the tunnels cross.

De las Luces Market: (Peru and Alsina corner) interesting handy crafts market located in “La Manzana de las Luces”.

San Ignacio Church: (Bolivar 225 street) Fourteen years ago after the settlement at “La Manzana”. The Compañía de Jesús finish the first adobe temple in 1675 it was dedicated to the Founder Saint of the order; it is nowadays located besides the school. It was a Cathedral among 1775 and 1791, after the expulsion of the Jesuits. In this place was celebrated the act of creation of Buenos Aires University on August 12, 1821.

Buenos Aires National School (Bolivar Street No. 263) it is the most prestigious secondary school of the country, it depends on the Buenos Aires University, founded in 1863. From it school rooms many of the political and cultural personalities comes from.

How to get there

It is located between the following streets Peru, Bolivar, Moreno, Alsina, and Diagonal South it is possible to get there by buses number: 7, 24, 26, 28, 29, 38, 45, 56, 59, 64, 67, 105, and 132.
Also it is possible to get there by Subway: Line A, Peru station; Line D, Cathedral station Cathedral; Line E, Bolivar station.

Useful information

Guided visits schedule (No previous reservation need):

Monday:

It starts at 13:00 hrs.  Jesuit Mission Procuraduría, Tunnels net of XVIII century and “De las Luces” Market. (Free).

Monday to Friday:

It starts at 15:00 hrs. Facades: Antique University and Vice regal Houses. Yard of the Jesuit Missions, Representatives Saloon, Maza Saloon, Tunnels net. ($ 6,-)

Saturdays:

It starts at 15:00 hrs. Vice regal Houses (c1782), Representatives Saloon and the Buenos Aires Legislature Presidency and Tunnels net. ($ 6,-)

- 16:30 hrs. Vice regal Houses (c1782), Representatives Saloon, and Tunnels net of XVIII net. ($ 6,-) (Optional: San Ignacio Church, Jesuit school cloister $ 2)

- 18:00 hrs. Vice regal Houses, Representatives Saloon and Buenos Aires Legislature Presidency, and tunnels of the XVIII century net. ($ 6,- )

Sundays:

- It starts at 15:00 hrs.  You will visit the facade of the first University, Buenos Aires National School, Jesuitical Procurators office and tunnels of the XVIII century net. ($ 7.50,-)

- At 16:30 hrs. Vice regal Houses (c1782), Representatives Saloon and the Buenos Aires Legislative Presidency, and tunnels of the XVIII century net. ($ 6,-) (Optional: San Ignacio Church, Jesuit school cloister $ 2)

- At 18:00 hrs. Vice Regal Houses, Representatives Saloon, Buenos Aires Legislative Presidency, and tunnels of the XVIII century net ($ 6.-)

Departing point: It departs from Peru No. 272.

Recommended Hotels in the area
- Babel Hotel
- De las Luces Hotel

Other hotels in Buenos Aires city