Buenos Aires, capital city of Argentina

Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina

Buenos Aires, located on the eastern coast of Argentina near Uruguay, a Cultural Delight, is rich in architecture, art, entertainment and history. The city is home to nearly 13 million people, ranking as the 17th largest city in the world, just ahead of London. Because of its long history of European immigration, Buenos Aires is heavily influenced by Spanish and Italian culture, creating a unique blend distinctly Argentinean.

Visitors to Buenos Aires can enjoy the beauty of Argentina’s visual arts in the Colón Theater. The theater reflects the affluence of the early 20th century, with red velvet seats, a soaring domed ceiling, and layers of ornate balcony seats. The theater is considered one of the best in the world for acoustic quality. Performances run from March through December, in arts such as ballet, orchestra and choir.

Anyone interest in Buenos Aires’ architectural grandeur should visit the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Built in the early 18th century, the basilica houses six Baroque-style altars, one of which contains Peruvian silver. Also featured in the basilica is a golden Madonna statue, along with various paintings and relics. The Metropolitan Cathedral, which overlooks the iconic Plaza de Mayo, offers a diversity of styles in its architectural design because it was constructed and reconstructed over several artistic periods.

For those interested in the history of Argentina, the Plaza de Mayo is the place to be. Sightseers can walk the streets where the Argentinean revolution began or visit the Cabildo building, the old colonial seat of government where revolutionaries met to declare independence from Spain. The Cabildo now houses a museum of colonial artifacts, such as 17th century art and furniture.

Also in the Plaza de Mayo is the famous Casa Rosada, the Pink House, which contains the presidential offices. Casa Rosada gained popular fame when Madonna filmed a scene for the 1996 film Evita on the Casa Rosada’s balcony. Part of the building now houses a presidential museum, and tours of the house are available to the public.

Sightseers can also enjoy the Plaza de los Congresos. This public park, adjacent to the National Congress building, features a rare reproduction of Auguste Rodin’s The Thinker; also on display is a monument to the Two Congresses, two key meetings in Argentinean history that helped secure the country’s nationhood.

To get off the beaten path and experience culture up close, visitors should head to La Boca neighborhood.

La Boca, located at the mouth of the Riachuelo River, was settled primarily by Italian immigrants and sports a distinctly Mediterranean look. Multi-colored buildings line uneven sidewalks and stone-paved streets. The area is known for artists and soccer fans and is a terrific place to find excellent tango dancers.

For a good view of the cityscape, travelers should take to the river, Rio de la Plata. This wide body of water is often identified as an estuary because it is the meeting point of the Parana and Uruguay rivers. Visitors can enjoy day cruises on the river, with excellent vistas of Buenos Aires and surrounding areas. Spanning the river is the iconic footbridge, Puenta de la Mujer, the Bridge of the Woman. This white, modernist-style bridge features an asymmetrical mast and supporting cables. Two pylons anchor the bridge to shore, and a third allows the center of the bridge to rotate 90 degrees, allowing river traffic to pass. The bridge affords great views of the city and the river.
 Whether visitors enjoy history or art, entertainment or scenery, Buenos Aires will delight. Buenos Aires is a city full of color, a city full of music, a city full of culture.