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”
The Obelisco (Obelisk) is the icon of the city of Buenos Aires and a National Historic Monument that celebrates four occasions:
1. Four centuries of the city’s foundation by Pedro Mendoza, in 1536.
2. The exact place where the Argentine flag was flown for the first time, at the tower of the San Nicolás de Bari church, in August 23, 1812.
3. The second foundation of the city by Juan de Garay, in 1580.
4. The declaration of Buenos Aires as Federal Capital of the Nation.
These occasions are written on each one of its four faces, as you can see on the photograph below the inscriptions on the faces East and North, respectively:
“Buenos Aires
A LA REPÚBLICA
(TO THE REPUBLIC)
En el IV Centenario de la fundación
(In the IV Centennary of the foundation)
de la ciudad por
(of the city by)
DON PEDRO DE MENDOZA.
II de Febrero de MDXXXVI.”
(February, 2, 1536)
“EN ESTE SITIO
(IN THIS SITE)
en la torre de San Nicolás
(in the San Nicolás tower)
fue izada por primera vez
(it was flown for the first time)
en la ciudad
(in the city)
LA BANDERA NACIONAL
(THE NATIONAL FLAG)
el XXIII de agosto de
(in August, 23)
MDCCCXII.”
(1812)
It was inspired by the Obelisk of the city of Washington, USA, when its designer, the Argentinean architect Alberto Prebisch was visiting this country. This reference was on perfect understanding with the neoclassic objective that would search to recover the basic geometric shapes and remind the ancient civilizations.
In 1936, at the intersection of the 9 de Julio and Corrientes avenues begun its construction, and it was finalized in 31 days.The official inauguration was on May 23, 1936.
The Obelisco is 67,5m height and each side on its base is 7 m. Its only entrance is on the West side, and inside it there is a stair of 206 steps with 7 rest areas every 8 meters until the top, where there are 4 windows and one lightning conductor.
The Obelisco is a venue for various cultural activities sponsored by the city government, manifestations or commemorations in general. Thanks to its suggestive shape and the white color, as a sheet of paper waiting to be used, sometimes the Obelisco inspires and is “dressed” on determined dates, such it was on December 1st, 2005, when it was covered with a giant “condom” of 67 meters long, in commemoration of the international AIDS awareness day.
Where?
At the intersection of the 9 de Julio and Corrientes avenues
sepphora | 12:31 pm | National Historic Monument, San Nicolás | “0 Comments”
Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires
The city-tours of Buenos Aires use to go through several monuments and touristic attractions too fast, lots of information are told and many times it is impossible to see what is being explained in the opposite side of the bus. Generally, in one of the two bus stops of 10 minutes, the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral) is elected for the tourists’ visitation.
In this first visit, I didn’t pay too much attention to the Cathedral, but to the Plaza de Mayo (May Square), where it is. Perhaps to run away from the crowd, because several other tourist buses had stopped in front of the Cathedral at the same time. But when we came to Buenos Aires for the second time, we visited the places by ourselves and we went back to Plaza de Mayo to see its Cathedral with more attention.
But why is this place elected as one of the main places to be shown to the tourists that go for the city-tours?
Maybe because in 1942 it was declared as a Historical Monument. Or for its turbulent history, that from 1580 to 1752 was full of collapses, demolitions, deconstructions, repairs and project changes. At this period of time, five cathedrals were built at this place one after another, but the definitive one that lasts until today would only be the sixth to be constructed.
Externally, the Cathedral has the appearance of an ancient Greek temple, very different of any other church I have ever seen. The facade was concluded in 1823 by the French engineers Próspero Catelin and Pedro Benoit; it has 12 columns that represent the twelve apostles and a relief done in 1863 by Joseph Dubourdieu that represents the reunion of Jacob and his son Joseph in Egypt.
The huge interior impresses: it has 5 naves, and the central one has almost 100 meters of length and was decorated with Renaissance frescoes by Italian Francesco Paolo Parisi. Different styles can be recognized in its interior because the Cathedral was constructed by several architects and men who, depending on the time and opportunity, were adding or changing something, as Baroque elements and others of Romanesque style. The floor is covered with Venetian-style mosaics designed by the Italian Carlo Morra and the Cathedral’s surface is about 3000m².
On the nave’s right side there is a mausoleum with the remains of General San Martin since 1880. This marble mausoleum was done by French sculptor Albert Carrier-Belleuse: a black sarcophagus is guarded by three life-size female figures that represent Argentina, Chile and Peru, three of the regions freed by the General. When we visited the Cathedral, we had the chance to see the Changing of the Guard: some uniformed guards payed honor to San Martin’s memory.
Changing of the Guard
San Martin’s tomb
The main altar of Churrigueresque style (Spanish Baroque) is golden with winding and spiraled shapes and flowers ornaments and was done by Isidro de Lorea.
Main altar
On the left side there is the Chapel of San Martín de Tours and the monument of the Archbishop León Federico Aneiros, a Carrara marble and stone mausoleum, done by the sculptor Victor de Pol. The fourteen Via Crucis paintings were done by Italian Francesco Domenighini. On this side there is also one altar with a wooden sculpture of the Christ of Buenos Aires, and another dedicated to the Virgen de los Dolores.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario de San Nicolás
Surely this Cathedral worth a visit, but I don’t recommend to do it with city-tours. This Cathedral is a place of respect and pray, and between hundreds of tourists and only 10 minutes it is difficult to see all its details and beauties.
Where?
Av. Rivadavia y San Martin | Tel: +54 (11) 4331-2845 / 4345-3369
sepphora | 1:36 pm | Montserrat, National Historic Monument, San Nicolás | “0 Comments”
Club de Pescadores
Before traveling to a new place, I like to take a look on it through Google Earth. There I saw for the first time this “pretty little house”. Something on it got my attention, perhaps the architecture, or the fact that it is over waters, or its toyish appearance, I don´t know… Being at Buenos Aires, this was one of the places I had to visit.
We could only visit it on the second time we came to the city, when we went for a walk to see it. We found out that the “pretty little house”, or Club de Pescadores (Fishermen’s Club) is a National Historic Monument.
Club de Pescadores
Its history tell us (briefly) that in the year of 1903 there were an old and abandoned pier over the Rio de la Plata (Silver River) waters, built by a French company who used it to tie up their coal boats. From there the coal was discharged into railway wagons and would go till Retiro’s Station. This abandoned pier were a meeting place of some fishermen and they decided to repair it and to build a “little house” to store their belongings.
However, in August 1905 the pier was completely destroyed by a violent torment over the Rio de la Plata. This didn’t discourage the fishermen, and they continued their activities and fishing competitions at the local. In 1928, with the project of Jose N. Quartino, begun the construction of a new pier and a new house which would be the club’s official headquarters. The construction was inaugurated in 1937, with the presence of the president of Argentina, Augustín P. Justo. Today, the building looks just like as it was in its great opening day. You can read (in Spanish) its more detailed history at the official website of the club.
Inside the house there is a photographic museum of its history, and a restaurant at the first stage called “Muelle del Plata” (Silver’s Dock), which we had the pleasure of having lunch that day. The food was very good and the service was great! Because we had gone for a walk, we got there before noon and the restaurant was still closed, but it didn’t matter and we were exclusively served! 
We really liked the waiter, who started a conversation about Brazil and was very friendly. It was a very pleasant experience to have lunch in the “pretty little house”, to be well attended and have the Silver River’s view in a beautiful sunny day.
Muelle del Plata restaurant’s view
Where?
Av. Rafael Obligado s/Nº y Av. Sarmiento Costanera Norte | Tel: +54 (11) 4773-1354 / 0649 / 3636
sepphora | 10:02 am | Costanera, National Historic Monument, Palermo | “1 Comment”
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