ARGENTINA REGION BY REGION - Argentina - page 166

w Corrientes
Road map C1. 168 miles (270 km) NW
of Mercedes. * 350,000. k @ n
Costanera General San Martín 245,
[phone]. ( Sat & Sun. _
Carnaval (Jan). ∑ corrientes.com.ar

With a history stretching back to
1558, Corrientes was founded
on the eastern bank of Río
Paraná as a staging post
between Asunción, Paraguay,
and Buenos Aires. It was a major
battleground in the 19th cen-
tury in the struggle between
Unitarios and Federalists, and
also from 1865 to 1870, during
the War of Triple Alliance against
Paraguay (see p54) .
Today Corrientes possesses an
extraordinary wealth of colonial
and 19th-century architecture.
Its well-conserved historical
center lies roughly between
streets 9 de Julio, Buenos Aires,
Mendoza, and Avenida
Costanera. Housed in a lovely
colonial-era building, Museo
de Artesanía Tradicional
Folklórica exhibits native crafts.
A plethora of 19th-century
buildings includes Casa de
Gobierno , whose pink exterior
is an eclectic mix of archi-
tectural styles. Three blocks
north, Avenida Costanera is a
riverside promenade which
offers great views of Rio Paraná.

The green wetland at the Parque Nacional Chaco

e Resistencia
Road map C1. 12 miles (19 km) W of
Corrientes. * 350,000. k @ n
Julio Roca 20, Plaza 25 de Mayo,
[phone]. ( Fri & Sun. _
Bienal Internacional de Escultura (Jul).
∑ mr.gov.ar

r Parque Nacional
Chaco
Road map C1. 69 miles (112 km) E of
Resistencia. @ n Captán Solari,
[phone]. Open 6am-7pm
daily. & ∑ parquesnacionales.
gob.ar
Created in 1954, Parque
Nacional Chaco is a protected
area of exceptional biodiversity.
Covering 58 sq miles (150 sq
km), it conserves residual forests
of the quebracho tree, which
once covered the entire
western part of Chaco.
The quebracho,
which produces
large tannin yields
and durable
hardwood, had
declined due to
farming and forestry.
The park also
protects swamp,
palm savanna, and
gallery forest. These
diverse habitats provide refuge
for an extraordinary array of
wildlife that includes an esti-
mated 341 bird species. The
most easily spotted are wading
birds such as jacanas, herons,
and jabiru storks. Howler
monkeys, often heard rather
than seen, inhabit the forest
canopy, while other large
reclusive species include the
giant anteater, maned wolf, and
puma. Following rainfall, the
paw marks of big predators can
be spotted on trails. Reptiles
include the commonly sighted
broad-nosed caiman. Bird-
watching and hiking are the
main activities on offer here. A
variety of trails start from the

Known as Ciudad de las
Esculturas (City of Sculptures),
the lovely town of Resistencia
has more than 400 sculptures
that adorn its streets and parks.
The city is also known for its
Bienal Internacional de
Escultura, a festival in
which international
sculptors transform
the city's Plaza 25
de Mayo into an
open-air studio.
Among Resistencia's
main attractions
are its museums.
Museo del Hombre
Chaqueño Ertivio
Acosta houses
artifacts from the native Wichí,
Toba, and Mocovi communities.
El Fogón de los Arrieros is a
museum and art gallery; its
eclectic displays include a
painting by well-known artist,
Raúl Soldi, and boxing gloves
that belonged to former world
champion Carlos Monzón.

E Museo de Artesanía
Tradicional Folklórica
F. J. de la Quintana 905. Te l (03783)
475- 945. Open 7-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-
noon, 4-7pm Sat. 8 Spanish only. =

Wooden wheel at El Fogón
de los Arrieros

E Museo del Hombre Chaqueño
Ertivio Acosta
J. B. Justo 280. Te l [phone].
Open 8am-noon, 3-7pm Mon-Fri; may
vary seasonally. & 8 Spanish only.
∑ museodelhombrechaco.com.ar
E El Fogón de los Arrieros
Brown 350. Te l [phone].
Open 8am-7pm Mon-Fri,
9am-12:30pm Sat. &

Shady promenade of Avenida Costanera
in Corrientes

For hotels and restaurants see pp278-83 and pp288-99