Córdoba & the Central Sierras - Argentina - page 556

It's an old guidebook cliché, but Córdoba really is a fascinating mix of old and new.
Where else will you find DJs spinning electro-tango in crowded student bars next to
17th-century Jesuit ruins?
Despite being a whopping 715km away from Buenos Aires, Córdoba is anything but a
provincial backwater - in 2006 the city was awarded the hefty title of Cultural Capital of
the Americas, and the title fitted like a glove. Four excellent municipal galleries - dedic-
ated to emerging, contemporary, classical and fine art respectively - are within easy
walking distance of each other and the city center.

Sights
There's plenty to see, so allow yourself at least a couple of days for wandering around.
Most churches are open roughly from 9am to noon and from 5pm to 8pm. Museum open-
ing hours change regularly depending on the season and the administration.
Most colonial sites lie within a few blocks of Plaza San Martín, the city's urban nucle-
us. The commercial center is just northwest of the plaza, where the main pedestrian
malls, 25 de Mayo and Rivera Indarte, intersect. Obispo Trejo, just west of the plaza, has
the finest concentration of colonial buildings. Just south of downtown, Parque Sarmiento
offers relief from the bustling, densely built downtown.
East-west streets change names at San Martín/Independencia and north-south streets
change at Deán Funes/Rosario de Santa Fe.

Centro

Downtown Córdoba is a treasure of colonial buildings and other historical monuments.

Iglesia Catedral CATHEDRAL
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP
(cnr Independencia & 27 de Abril; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon & 5-8pm Sat & Sun) The con-
struction of Córdoba's cathedral began in 1577 and dragged on for more than two centur-
ies under several architects, including Jesuits and Franciscans and, though it lacks any
sense of architectural unity, it's a beautiful structure. Crowned by a Romanesque dome, it
overlooks Plaza San Martín. The lavish interior was painted by renowned cordobés (Cór-
doban) painter Emilio Caraffa.

Museo de la Memoria MUSEUM
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP