Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
see large, colorful and minimalist pieces meant to inspire reflection. It mostly shows off
the works of young Argentine artists, though occasional international guests' work ap-
pears. There are four floors; the first two hold rotating, permanent exhibits. Guided visits
in Spanish are available at 5pm daily.
PASAJE DE LA DEFENSA
(Defensa 1179; 10am-6pm Tue-Fri, to 8pm Sun)
Originally built for the Ezeiza family in 1880,
this building later became a
conventillo
(tenement house) and was home to 32 families.
These days, it's a charmingly worn building with antique shops clustered around atmo-
spheric leafy patios.
NOTABLE BUILDING
PARQUE LEZAMA
(Defensa & Av Brasil)
Scruffy Parque Lezama was once thought to be the site of Buenos
Aires' founding in 1536, but archaeological teams have refuted the hypothesis. Today's
green park hosts old chess-playing gentlemen, bookworms toting
mate
(traditional Argen-
tine tea) gourds and teenagers kissing on park benches. Don't miss the striking late-19th-
century
Iglesia Ortodoxa Rusa
(Russian Orthodox Church) on the north side of the park; it's
the work of architect Alejandro Christopherson and was built from materials shipped over
from St Petersburg.
PARK
MUSEO HISTÓRICO NACIONAL
( 4307-1182; Defensa 1600; 11am-6pm Wed-Sun)
F
Located in Parque Lezama is the city's
national historical museum. It's dedicated to exhibiting items related to Argentina's re-
volution on May 25, 1810. Argentine hero Manuel Belgrano's watch was stolen from this
museum in 2007, and things have never been the same since. Bags and backpacks have to
be checked in, and guards are everywhere.
Inside, exhibits are a bit sparse, but at least they're neatly displayed. There are several
portraits of presidents and other major figures of the time, and you can peek into a recre-
ated version of José de San Martín's bedroom - he was a military hero and liberator of Ar-
gentina (along with other South American countries). Old documents are also on display,
and there's a video room as well.
Perhaps the most interesting exhibit, however, is of a few paintings depicting Africans
in Argentina celebrating Carnaval and playing
candombe
(a drum-based musical genre in-
vented in the early 18th century by slaves brought to the Rio de la Plata region). Argen-
MUSEUM
