Buenos Aires is a city that you should not miss, culture and entertainment, night life, football, tango and the endless talks at the café. Its singular mix was the result of the rich inmigratory history. Everyone each one of its neighborhoods keep the past in their peculiar features and all of them, are porteños in their own way.
The numerous museum, exhibition and conference rooms, art gallerias, cinemas, and theaters with national and international show are all sings of its important cultural life.
Finnancial, commercial and economic center of the country, the city is the main port of the Nation. Its intense commercial activity is evidenced by the presence of numerous stores, galleries and shopping centers which sell the world´s top brands.
Its nightlife is very varied and it can be prolonged until early in the morning. There are nightclubs, restaurants, delis and many other attractions for all kinds of tastes.
Architectonic Collage
Of every age and architectural style, Buenos Aires bears visible footprints it has preserved throughout time. Its streets, avenues, neighborhoods and even the new, emerging areas display a wide variety of shapes and characters, the imprints of its current urban tissue.
From Colonial times (XVII an XVIIIth centurys), there are the tunnels of Manzana de las Luces (Perú 272), the Cabildo, Casa de Ejercicios Espirituales (Independencia 1190) and the Pilar Basilica and Convent (in La Recoleta).
From Neo-classic times (1800-1830), the legacy includes the Metropolitan Cathedral recreating the facade of Palais Bourbon in París, completed in the same period.
Due to the Italian influence (1830-1900) the city boasts uinique constructions in La Boca, Casa Rosada -the seat of National Government-, Galerías Pacífico building (Florida 737), direct descendent of Galería Vittorio Emanuelle in Milán, Teatro Colón and the old National Library (México 564).
French Academicism was the most popular style in Buenos Aires between 1890 and 1940. A number of Palaces were built following its tenets: Palacio de Justicia (Talcahuano 550), Palacio de La Prensa (Avda de Mayo 575), Palacio Paz, currently known as Círculo Militar (Santa Fe 750), Palacio Fernández Anchorena, currently Nunciatura Apostólica (Alvear 1605), Palacio Pereda currently the Embassy of Brazil (Arroyo 1130), Palacio Anchorena, currently Palacio San Martin (Arenales 761), Palacio Errázuriz (Avda Libertador 3502), Palacio Bosch currently the Embassy of the Us (Avda Libertador 3502) Palacio del Consejo Deliberante (Perú 130), Correo Central (Sarmiento 151) and Colegio Nacional (Bolívar 263).
The British Influence (1880-1940) coincided with this period, and its results are seen in Tienda Harrods (Florida 877), Casa Maple (Suipacha 658) Palacio Ortiz Basualdo, currently the Embassy of France (Cerrito 1399).
Art Nouveau (1900-1920) gave place to Galería Güemes (Florida 165), Casa de los Lirios (Rivadavia 2031), Confitería Ideal (Suipacha 384), Club Español (Bernardo de Irigoyen 172) and Pasaje Barolo (Avda de Mayo 1370).
The Industrial Revolution brought Industrial Architecture to Buenos Aires (1870-1930), and its local icons are Mercado de San Telmo (Bolivar 970), Palacio de Aguas Corrientes (Cordoba 1950), the railways stations at Constitución, Once and Retiro, and Mercado de Abasto (Corrientes 3247).
Art Decó (1925-1940) on its part is evident in the buildings of Teatro Opera (Corrientes 860) and Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (San Martin 137).
The Kavanagh Building (Florida 1065), is the legacy of Racionalism (1930-1945).
The School of Law (Figueroa Alcorta 2263), is the legacy of Monumentalism (1930-1950) as is the building of Banco de La Nación Argentina (Rivadavia 325).
The imprints of Brutalism (1960-1970), are seen in Banco de Londres (Reconquista 101), Biblioteca Nacional -the National Library-(Agüero 2502) and the Planitarium (in Palermo).
In Barrio Puerto Madero, the most recently-built neighborhood in the city, we find moderm constructionsalongside recycled warehouses and silos of the old harbor.
Buenos Aires is an architectural collage worth visiting.
