Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the inscription marking the site of the Univer-
sity on Calle Alsina at Calle Peru. This area
became the city's cultural center and a local
newspaper dubbed it
Manzana de las Luces,
“The Square of the Enlightenment.”
The Enlighten-
ment is referred
to as the Siglo
de las Luces in
Spanish.
Virtually all the Jesuit buildings were con-
nected by a series of tunnels and catacombs.
These were unearthed during later construc-
tion projects.
The southernmost border of San Telmo is
marked by the
Parque Lezama
(Lezama
Park). This park, which once stood in a pastoral
setting and is now surrounded by big city traffic
and noise, has seen better days. The land was
once reserved for use by the King of Spain but
he never visited his colony. It passed through
many hands until it was purchased by an
American, Carlos Home, as a gift for his Argen-
tinean wife. They purchased adjoining property
and built the mansion that was the finest in the
city.
Eventually the grounds were purchased by
José de Lezama, who gave them his name. He
enlarged the grounds and filled them with stat-
ues, monuments and fountains. Many still
stand today. His two-story home sported a high
watchtower from which he and his wife could
look out over the entire area.
In 1884 the municipality purchased the land
and the house, transforming the first into a
public park and the second into the
National
Historic Museum
(see
Museums
, page 202).
