Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and The Dirty War (see page 29 for the full
story). You will never forget the sight of these
women silently gathered to remind everyone of
their lost loved ones. Other demonstrations at
the Plaza are often noisy, helped along by large
bass drums and loudspeakers or megaphones.
As you relax on one of the benches or stroll
around the plaza, be sure to take note of its two
monuments. The original
Piramide de Mayo
,
constructed of wood and plaster, dates back to
May, 1811, when it was unveiled to commemo-
rate the first anniversary of the May Revolu-
tion. After several restorations, it was moved to
its current position at the center of the plaza in
1912. An equestrian statue of Manuel
Belgrano, creator of the Argentine flag and a
hero of her independence fight, stands in front
of the Casa Rosada.
Lookfor the sol -
diers on horse-
backin the
Plaza. They
wear the same
colorful uni-
forms worn by
San MartÃn's
regiment in the
war for freedom
from Spain.
Though dominated by banks and office build-
ings, the Plaza is still home to three historic
buildings that are open to the public. They are
the
Casa Rosada,
the
Metropolitan Cathe-
dral,
and the
Cabildo.
The PinkHouse
serves the same
purpose as the
White House in
Washington DC.
The
Casa Rosada
(so named for its pinkish
hue) was built between 1873 and 1894 on the
site that was originally a fort as well as the
city's Customs House and Post Office. Today it
is home to the executive branch of the govern-
ment and is often referred to as the
Casa de
Gobierno.
