Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIGHTS
TEATRO COLÓN
See
Click here
.
NOTABLE BUILDING
PLAZA DEL CONGRESO
( 4010-3000, ext 2410; tours 12:30pm & 5pm Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri; Línea A Congreso, Sáenz
Peña)
At the western end of Av de Mayo lies Plaza del Congreso, often dotted with cooing
pigeons and families feeding them. The
Monumento a los Dos Congresos
honors the congresses
of 1810 in Buenos Aires and 1816 in Tucumán, both of which led to Argentine independen-
ce. The enormous granite steps symbolize the high Andes, and the fountain at its base rep-
resents the Atlantic Ocean. West of the plaza is the colossal green-domed
Palacio del Con-
greso
(Congress building).
Costing more than twice its projected budget, the Palacio del Congreso set a precedent
for contemporary Argentine public-works projects. Modeled on the Capitol in Washington,
DC, and topped by an 85m dome, the palace was completed in 1906. Inside the Congreso,
there are free guided tours in English and Spanish. Go to the entrance at Hipólito Yrigoyen
1849; bring photo ID.
SQUARE
PALACIO BAROLO
MAP
NOTABLE BUILDING
GOOGLE MAP
( 4381-1885;
www.palaciobarolo.com
;
Av de Mayo 1370; standard tours AR$80, longer tours incl glass of
wine AR$150; standard tours 4-7pm Mon-Thu, longer tours 8pm Wed & Fri & 8:30pm Thu)
One of
the Congreso area's most striking buildings is this 22-story concrete edifice. The building's
unique design was inspired by Dante's
Divine Comedy
; its height (100m) is a reference to
each canto (or song), the number of its floors (22) to verses per song and its divided struc-
ture represents hell, purgatory and heaven.
Palacio Barolo was commissioned by cotton tycoon Luis Barolo and designed by Italian
architect Mario Palanti. Finished in 1923, it was Buenos Aires' highest skyscraper (until
construction of Edificio Kavanagh, in Retiro). At the top is a lighthouse with an amazing
360-degree view of the city.
PALACIO DE LAS AGUAS CORRIENTES
MAP
NOTABLE BUILDING, MUSEUM
GOOGLE MAP
