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Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires
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Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires

The Pink House - Buenos Aires
The Pink House
by Ladyplus
Plaza de Mayo tips and photos posted by real travelers and Buenos Aires locals.
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Plaza de Mayo: Two in One View-Casa Rosada & Plaza de Mayo
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  • VeronicaG
  • Updated By VeronicaG on February 4, 2008
  • Buenos Aires Page by VeronicaG
  • Casa Rosada (background); Plaza de Mayo (monument) - Buenos Aires
    Casa Rosada (background);
    Plaza de Mayo (monument)
    by VeronicaG
    Our city tour paused at the main square--Plaza de Mayo--the tall monument in the photo commemorates the May Revolution of 1810 which led to Chile's independence from Spain (1816). It is the site of much political turmoil in past and recent years.

    The Casa Rosada seen in the background (The Pink House) is an executive administrative building where the President works. It also contains the personal items of former Presidents of Argentina. Hours are Tues.-Fri. 9 am-6 pm; Sun. 3pm-6 pm.

    The Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo (city council) are located near this square, also.

  • Directions: the East side of the Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires near the financial district
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    Plaza de Mayo: AVENIDA DE MAYO
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  • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 12, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by mtncorg
  • Flag and Palacio Barolo at the west end Av de Mayo - Buenos Aires
    Flag and Palacio Barolo
    at the west end Av de
    Mayo
    by mtncorg
    Much like Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC, Avenida de Mayo links the legislative branch to the executive branch in a very literal fashion. The avenue is lined with trees and many important hotels, buildings, and cafes – Café Tortoni for one – can be found along its length. As well, lying underneath is BsAs first subway line – the A line – which dates back to 1913 – the first subway in Latin America.

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  • Directions: The avenue runs from the Plaza de Congreso to the Plaza de Mayo
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    Plaza de Mayo: CABILDO DE BUENOS AIRES
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  • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 12, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by mtncorg
  • The white Cabildo behind plaza pigeons - Buenos Aires
    The white Cabildo behind plaza
    pigeons
    by mtncorg
    Restored in 1949, the original 1725-1785 construction – which replaced a 1610 building – was the seat of Spanish colonial power. Today, it is an important museum housing collections dating back to colonial times and from the time of the Wars of Independence. The tower is smaller than the original, as is the building itself, in general, which used to take up the entire west side of the Plaza de Mayo.

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    Plaza de Mayo: CASA ROSADA
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  • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 12, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by mtncorg
  • Casa Rosada and 1811 Monnument to 1810 Revolution - Buenos Aires
    Casa Rosada and 1811 Monnument
    to 1810 Revolution
    by mtncorg
    The Casa de Gobierno dates back to the early 19th century, though officially the house of executive power since 1862 – even though it wasn’t until 1880 that BsAs was designated the country’s capital. Pink is the color reflecting the melding of Federal – red – and Unitarian – white – political power. Unlike the White House, the President does not actually live here – that compound is about 12 km to the northwest in the suburb of Olivos. On the south side of the building is a museum holding exhibits dealing with the many Argentine presidents. There is also a colorful changing of the guards every two hours from 0700 to 1900.

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  • Address: 219 Calle Hipolito Yrigoyen
  • Phone: 4344-3802/3804
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    Plaza de Mayo: Casa De Gobierno
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  • Sonador3
  • Updated By Sonador3 on May 24, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by Sonador3
  • Pink House - Buenos Aires
    Pink House
    by Sonador3
    One of the most recognizable buildings in Argentina, the Casa De Gobierno (Governors House) is located in the east end of the Plaza de Mayo. Also known as the Pink House, the original structure (a post office) was built in 1580, with the current structure taking it's shape and color in 1882 under the direction of President Julio Argentino Roca. It's said the building gets its distinctive pink color from a mixture of bovine blood and grease, which was used back in the day to make the building waterproof. There are other stories, of course, but I'll go with this one.

    It's quite a remarkable building with the famous balconies where Juan Peron gave his speeches and his wife, the famous Evita Peron also made her appearances. The first statesman to make an appearance on the balcony was President Julio Argentino Roca, who spoke to the people on August 12, 1901, but it was Peron who turned it into a symbol of his relationship with the proletariat.

    In 1957 the museum was created to exhibit objects belonging to former presidents and to the government patrimony.

    Guided tours are available Monday to Friday, 3pm to 5pm. 4344-3802, but be prepared to show proper ID.

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  • Address: 50 Balcarce Street
  • Phone: 4344-3600
  • Directions: At the end of the Plaza de Mayo
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    Plaza de Mayo: PLAZA DE MAYO
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  • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 12, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by mtncorg
  • Casa Rosada from the Plaza de Mayo - Buenos Aires
    Casa Rosada from the
    Plaza de Mayo
    by mtncorg
    This square is at the eastern terminus of the Avenida de Mayo and is surrounded by buildings of the executive branch of government: the Casa Rosada, the National Bank, the Municipal Government buildings, as well as the old Congress building, the Cabildo Museum and the Cathedral. The plaza was BsAs’ original public square, laid out facing the Cabildo, the seat of government in colonial times and much larger then. Here in the plaza, major events in Argentine history have unfolded: 1810 May Revolution, 1816 affirmation of the Tucuman declaration of independence, 1860 constitution was announced, countless addresses by presidents like Juan Peron and countless protests like the Madres and Abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo who continue their fight on behalf of their children – los Desparecidos – who disappeared during the horrible years of the Dirty War.

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  • Directions: In front of the Casa Rosada
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    Plaza de Mayo: CATEDRAL METROPOLITANA
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  • mtncorg
  • By mtncorg on December 12, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by mtncorg
  • Cathedral and the Eternal Flame of San Martin - Buenos Aires
    Cathedral and the Eternal
    Flame of San Martin
    by mtncorg
    Built on the site of an earlier church dating to 1593, the Cathedral, itself, dates to 1752-1852 with a decorative 1911 refurbishment. Outside, the eternal flame of San Martin burns. Inside, the main nave leads to a glorious main altar with floors of Venetian marble. On the left side is the Santo Cristo de Buenos Aires Chapel containing a carving of Jesus dating to 1671. On the right side is the tomb of General Jose de San Martin draped with a huge Argentine flag. San Martin is the nation’s temporal saint – forgotten in his own lifetime by the anarchical Unitarian-Federalist struggles following his successful campaigns in the Wars of Independence. Here, in the Cathedral, Argentina tries to make it up to her hero in a way that outdoes all of those who are over in la Recoleta.

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  • Directions: On the northwest side of the Plaza de Mayo
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    Plaza de Mayo: Palacio de Gobierno Buenos Aires
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  • Sonador3
  • Updated By Sonador3 on May 24, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by Sonador3
  • Governors Palace - Buenos Aires
    Governors Palace
    by Sonador3
    Located next to the Cabildo is the Palacio De Gobierno Buenos Aires. It's quite a beautiful European style building. The Clarin calls the architecture "German-French-Italian" Haha, yep, that about covers it. Designed by Juan Buschiazzo, it was built by Giovanni Cagnoni between 1891 and 1902. In the construction marble, Mosaic and crystal were removed from a house located on Peru Street, expropriated from the Zuberbuhler family.

    Open for visits Saturdays and Sundays from 1pm to 5pm

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  • Address: Bolivar 1
  • Phone: 0800-2222-8323
  • Directions: Near Plaza de Mayo
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    Plaza de Mayo: Argentina's Most Celebrated Plaza
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  • Bwana_Brown
  • Updated By Bwana_Brown on March 21, 2005
  • Buenos Aires Page by Bwana_Brown
  • The Piramide de Mayo - Buenos Aires
    The Piramide de Mayo
    by Bwana_Brown
    Plaza de Mayo has a long history in Buenos Aires, being first established as the heart of the city when the Spaniards returned for the second time in 1580 (the indigenous Querandi people had routed the first attempt at colonization in 1536). Major changes were made to the Plaza over the succeeding centuries, with the last major one being the removal in 1884 of a large building, the Recova Vieja, which had cut the Plaza in half when it was constructed in 1803.

    It was only after the Revolution against Spanish rule in 1810 that the Plaza acquired it's present name, in celebration of that event. As for the Piramide (Pyramid) de Mayo, it was first erected in 1811 on the first anniversary of the revolution. It is constructed of brick with a plaster outer covering, with the statue at it's top representing Liberty.

    After the old dividing building was torn down in 1884, to make room for Av. de Mayo between the Casa Rosada and the Palacio de Congreso at the other end of the Avenue, the statue was moved to it's present location. In recent years, the statue has looked down on the protesting mothers of 'The Disappeared Ones' as they congregated in this Plaza to seek answers from the government as to what the former military regimes did to their loved ones.

    The beautiful palm trees in the park came from Brazil, courtesy of the French landscape architect Carlos Thays (who also established the Botanical Gardens). We finished our tour of the Plaza at about 11:30 AM on a Friday and did not find many people about. Then, it was onward toward San Telmo!

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  • Directions: In front of the Casa Rosada.
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    Plaza de Mayo: Mothers of Missing Children/Plaza de Mayo
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  • Sonador3
  • By Sonador3 on May 24, 2004
  • Buenos Aires Page by Sonador3
  • scarf - Buenos Aires
    scarf
    by Sonador3
    During the military dictatorship of the late 70s and early 80s was a time of what was called the Dirty Wars. If you were a dissident, or even if people thought you were, your life was in danger. And literally thousands of men and women simply disappeared. For a more accurate assessment of this time, I suggest you take a look at Wade's pages (wadekorzan). The long and short of it is that many mothers lost their children, and there are these paintings of headscarves in the ground that are a reminder of these children. The mothers march with these scarves on their heads with the names of their missing children written on them. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to live in Bs As during that time, but to loose your child, to have him or her just disappear, would seem like the worst kind of pain imaginable.

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  • Directions: In the Plaza de Mayo
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