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This post is to inform that we are not in Argentina and due to this the blog has not been updated. We will return to Buenos Aires only on July, when I intend to write here more often. How we say in Spanish: “Disculpe las molestias” …
Unfortunately from where we are is a little hard to focus on Buenos Aires. We are in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of Namib Desert… 
As this blog is about Buenos Aires, if I start writing about Namibia the subject will change just a bit… What makes me stop right now…
As we will only come back to Bs As in 30 days, I am already dying to see my cats that stayed there, I’m missing the city, the people, the need to communicate in Spanish, the cold winter!!!…
So… see you on July!
sepphora | 10:49 am | Outside Argentina | “0 Comments”
The Planetario Galileu Galilei (Galileu Galilei Planetary) of Buenos Aires is located at the Parque Tres de Febrero, more known as Bosques de Palermo.
The construction of its Futurist architecture started in 1962 and was directed by the Argentinean architect Enrique Jan. Its shape represents the planet Saturn silhouette, besides it also reminds a big UFO with the mission of taking away all its visitors to discovery journeys into space.
The building has 5 stages being the last one a room of 20-meter diameter with 360 reclinable chairs for the dome’s observation, which is internally covered by aluminum plates and works as a big screen. On it we can see projected the Moon, the Sun, the visible planets and 8900 stars, constellations and nebulas.
On the first floor there is a museum where we can see exposed a Moon rock brought to Earth by the Apollo XI Mission, a gift given by the president of USA Richard Nixon. There are also three meteorites exposed, all found on the region called “Campo del Cielo” (field of the sky or heaven), North of Argentina, as a result of a meteorite rain occurred 4000 years ago, caused by a small asteroid of 8 to 10-meter diameter which hit against the Earth atmosphere and splitted into fragments that caused several craters when they fell over this region.
You can find more information about the functions and activities as free courses, Science afternoons, telescopic observations, conferences, etc. at the Planetary official website. It is another great place of Buenos Aires offering accessible culture and knowledge to all the visitors.
Where?
Parque Tres de Febrero - Bosques de Palermo | Av. Sarmiento e Figueroa Alcorta | Tel: +54 (11) 4771-9393 / 4771-6629
sepphora | 12:20 am | Palermo | “0 Comments”
Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument
Plaza Italia is a small square on Palermo district, next to the Jardín Zoológico, Jardín Botánico, Subte, Sociedad Rural Argentina, bus stops and Parques de Palermo. It is on Santa Fe Avenue, on a central island of a traffic circle that also receives the Las Heras Avenue and Sarmiento Avenue. Its surrounding is very crowded, but the square seems to be only a walking way to thousands of hurried people.
The monument of the Plaza Italia was a donation of the Italian residents to the city of Buenos Aires, inaugurated on June 19, 1904. It was made by the Italian sculptor Eugenio Maccagnani as a replica of the one located in Brescia, Italy. It shows Giuseppe Garibaldi over his horse, with his sword pointing towards the sky, as the legendary “hero” figure. On each side below the horse, there is a statue (3,5 meters high), representing the Victory and Freedom.
In the center, below the horse, there is a stepped relief in bronze poured in Rome, representing the “San Antonio de Salto Battle“: In February 8, 1846, Garibaldi was fighting for Montevideo, Uruguay, for the Italian flag, and won an army with much more soldiers. The composition shows the hero on the center and two clusters of soldiers on each side. The scenery’s border is done by a village where the legionaries were hidden and by the tall palm trees of the region. The drama shown highlights the battle.
San Antonio de Salto Battle relief
Garibaldi (1807-1882) is considered to be the biggest Italian hero. A militar and political leader who helped the independency process of Uruguay, battled on the “Guerra dos Farrapos” (Brazil), fought for the Italian unification against the Austrian army as well as for the Second War for the Independecy of Italy, also defended France on the Franco-prussian war. His dedication to the battles made him world wide famous, and several monuments, besides this one at Plaza Italia, can be seen in places like New York/USA, Taganrog/Russia, Budapeste /Hungary, Porto Alegre/Brazil and in several Italian cities.
Where?
Intersection of Santa Fe, Las Heras and Sarmiento Avenues
sepphora | 5:32 pm | Palermo | “0 Comments”
Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
Inside the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar there is a small museum that used to be the cloisters of the Recoleto friars. The admission costs $1.00 (one peso) and it is possible to appreciate works of art of the XIV to XIX centuries, like paintings, sculptures, registry books, pieces of furniture and saint effigies.
The Baroque style saint effigies are very expressive and curious; there are doll-like saints with human hair wigs, glass eyes, decorated clothes and earrings. They are ”imágenes de vestir” (dressed effigies), a type of sculpture carved on wood with only head, neck and hands detailed and the rest of the body not finished as it would be covered by clothes. It was a technique very used in the South of Spain during the XVI and XVII centuries and later brought to the Americas. With time, some sculptors created articulation for the arms and legs to ease on their dressing and to make possible to change the image’s position according to the rites of the celebrations, as a puppet theatre. This could increase the effigies affective qualities.
Imagen de vestir, Brazil, XIX century
Imagen de vestir of St. John of God, Bolivia, XIX century. With glass eyes.
Imagem de vestir, Peru, XVIII century
Sacred family richly adorned with sea shells
It is very recomendable to do a guided visit to the Cloisters if you are in Buenos Aires on the date, as it happens only once a month. For further information, access the official website with the timetable and days of visitation. Unfortunately, a non-guided visit turns impossible to notice the richness and history of each piece, although they arouse our curiosity due to its amount of details.
Where?
Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar | Junín 1904 | Tel: +54 (11) 4806-2209 / 4803-6793
sepphora | 11:22 am | Recoleta | “0 Comments”
The Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar is on the Recoleta’s district, in front of the Plaza Intendente Alvear (also known as Plaza Francia). During the weekend, it normally gets crowded, and the tourists go to the artisan’s fair and visit the Recoleta’s Cemetery.
It is the oldest church of Buenos Aires which has an architecture of Baroque style. Its history starts in 1708, when Franciscan Recoleto friars came from Spain and received the donation of a high land from a couple of landowners (Capitan Fernando de Valdez e Inclán and his wife Gregoria). Their intention was to build a church and a convent. In 1716 the construction was authorized by king Felipe V, and Juan de Narbona built a modest chapel and four cloisters for the friars. In 1725, the construction of the church was finished.
The main altar was done by Domingo Mendízabal, Ignacio de Arregui and Miguel de Careaga. In 1731, a Saint Antonio de Padua’s bell was put on the belfry. In October 12, 1732 the church was inaugurated, when its 30 meters tower was finished. In 1779, an atrium with a relics altar and a Baptism place was included in the facade. In 1936, Pope Pius XI designated it as a basilica and in May 21, 1942 it was declared a National Historic Monument.
Main Altar
All the six secondary altars were carved by the Portuguese Pedro Carmona. Among them, there are:
Altar of the Christ of the Patience and Humility:
It shows a Christ image with sore spots and wounds over the head, sat down over a rock waiting for his Crucifixion.
Altarpiece of the Christ of the Patience and Humility
Altar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel:
Image carved and painted on wood from the XVIII century. The Virgin is over the Mount Carmel “that shines more than the sun”, holding the child Jesus on her arms. She uses a short veil, crown and a golden Carmelites habit with brown details.
Altarpiece of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Altar of Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary:
Image of Portuguese Rococo style carved and painted on wood from the end of the XIX century or beginning of the XX century. Saint Anne stands up with her hand over the Virgin’s shoulder. She holds a scroll with the words “to Love God above all Things”. She wears a blue tunic, white veil and a brown mantle. On the white tunic of the girl we can see symbolic motifs as the fount, the scale, etc.
Altarpiece of Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary
Christ Crucified
Inside this Basilica there is also a Museum where the friars cloisters were before, and it will be the subject of a next post.
Where?
Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar | Junín 1904 | Tel: +54 (11) 4806-2209 / 4803-6793
sepphora | 9:04 am | National Historic Monument, Recoleta | “0 Comments”
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