A little bit about Buenos Aires. Part I

La Bombonera

The city of Buenos Aires was founded by the Spanish conqueror Pedro de Mendoza in 1536, on the banks of the embankment where the Lezama Park is now located. Over the next 500 yeas, this small settlement by the river continued to grow until it became the capital city of Argentina, a metropolis where over 3 million people live, and that has an intense cultural and economic life. Of its many districs, the most picturesque, undoubtedly, is the neighborhood of La Boca. A 'must' stroll to taste Italian dishes, walk along the colorful pedestrian street of Caminito, and visit the Boca Juniors Club stadium where Diego Maradona played. The neighborhood of San Telmo has its roots deeply set in Buenos Aires and this is not just coincidence, since Mendoza founded the city on an embankment here. Its streets have preserved a unique architectural heritage with historical bars, "tanguerías" where diverse tango shows are performed, antiques store, small trendy restaurants, centennial convents and the Plaza Dorrego street fair, that on every Sunday becomes the unavoidable meeting place for all travelers who might want to get to know the soul of Buenos Aires. On the banks of the Río de la Plata, the old port gave way to Puerto

Puerto Madero

Madero, one of the most modern districts of the city. Three luxury high rise towers have been constructed and the old docks, that had been abandoned fordecades, were recycled and these days constitute one of the mosty interesting gastronomic districts. It is an ideal place to eat and then take a stroll by the river. On the river, the Ecological Reserve is a 350 hectare natural open space from where some of the most surprising panoramic views of Buenos Aires can be obtained. Plaza de Mayo is the historical center of Buenos Aires. It is here that Av. de Mayo is born, an avenue with a European spirit, that was the center stage in the lives of the inhabitants of Buenos Aires known as "porteños": the famous Tortoni Cafe, where Jorge Luis Borges used to drop by, the Castelar Hotel where the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca once lived, the Barolo Palace and the 36 billiards bar known as Los 36 Billares, are some of the testimonies that are left from those times.

Plaza de Mayo

Argentinean History

First of all, a little bit of argentinian history:

In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America and changed the history of this part of the world.  In February 1516, the Spanish seaman Juan Diaz de Solis entered the estuary of the River Plate, becoming the first European to arrive in the region that 400 years later, became Argentina.  Solis was looking for a passage towards the East Indies when he died on the banks of the River Plate in an ambush by local natives.  In 1526, Italian navigator Sebastian Gabot arrived in the area and sailed up the Parana River search of food.  Then he built a fortress close present city of Rosario and received silver pieces from the natives, marking the beginning of a legend that centuries later would give its name to the country.  The territory´s colonization was started in 1536 when Spaniard Pedro de Mendoza founded Buenos Aires, that was followed by the foundations of Santiago del Estero in 1553, Cordoba and Santa Fe in 1573.  In 1580 Juan de Garay re-founded Buenos Aires for the second time since the first settlement had been destroyed.  In the mid 18th century, the population of Buenos Aires was 20000 inhabitants.  In 1776, the territory occupied by present-day Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay was separated from Peru and this was how teh Viceroyalty of the River Plate was created.

Buenos Aires

In 1806 and 1807, a british fleet attacked Buenos Aires and was expelled by a nascent popular militia.  For the inhabitants of the colony, this incident was crucial in relation to the possibilities of becoming independent.  On May 25, 1810, a public assembly was held at the colonial town council Cabildo that ousted Viceroy Cisneros and named a provisional Junta headed by Cornelio Saavedra.  An army was formed an the heroic war of independence began led by General Jose de San Martin, considered to be the "Father of the Nation".  Finally the representatives of the different provinces met in Tucuman and on the 9th July, 1816, proclaimed independence from Spain under the Constitution of the United Provinces of South America (later on the United Provinces of the River Plate).  Suddenly internal struggles began and in 1824 Bernardino Rivadavia was appointed President of teh Argentine nation, a name that started being used at that moment.  The National Constitution was approved in 1853, establishing the foundations for present-day Argentina.

José de San Martín

Accommodation reccomended in Buenos Aires City: Charlie´s Apartments , Charlie´s Hostel