The Paris of South America

I wonder if the person who first described Buenos Aires as The Paris of South America is the same person who announced The Rolling Stones as The Greatest Rock and Roll Band In The World. There is enough truth in both statements to allow you to accept it...if you want to.

But if you choose to think about it, both statements become questionable. What makes Buenos Aires The Paris Of South America? They certainly weren’t referring to the cooking. The culinary choices here are limited, mostly steak, pizzas, and empanadas. There is a strong cafe culture, in fact cafes and bars are more plentiful than restaurants. Argentines are suspicious of seasoning and you have to request salt and pepper as they are unlikely to be available on your table.

The description as Paris of South America may have been referring to the wide boulevards. While 9 de Julio lacks the interesting shops of the Champs Elysee, ITV is the widest street in the world and there are some cafes, fountains, statues, a beautiful Opera House, the Obilisco (a huge phallic monument, the icon of Buenos Aires) and lots of trees.

But probably The Paris of South America refers to the Neoclassical and Belle Epoque architecture built when Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world. There are some very attractive turn of the last century buildings with strong French and Italian influences. Argentina has no indigenous population, it is a country of immigrants, largely European and has a cafe culture, some cobblestone streets, a few large squares, and public buildings that reflect these European roots.

Paris has streets of beauty everywhere you go.  Buenos Aires has pockets, largely in the center of town and one or two other barrios or neighborhoods where the rich people moved after epidemics of yellow fever and cholera in the 1870s.

 In addition Europeans tend to respect their architecture and try to preserve it. Not so much here. One of the prettiest building in Buenos Aires houses a McDonalds. Former mansions today are likely to be blocked by garbage bins, construction rubble, and broken sidewalks. Most are coated with greasy urban grime.

Here are some photos of some of the nicer architecture of The Paris of South America.

Casa Rosada, the home of the President and at one time Eva and Juan Perón

A church interior near Casa Rosada. while it is an important church there is not much decoration

A typical street with mixed architecture. 

This is a reflection photo took today. I am including it here because even with the distortion you can see two different styles of architecture side by side as you could in the photo above it. That is very common. There are few if any streets with consistent architecture. 

Palacio Barolo was never a palace, it was an office building, once the tallest building in South America

The intersection of two major avenues, and right in front of the symbol of Buenos Aires, the Obilisco. In other cities this attractive building might house fancy restaurants or designer showcases. Here it houses a McDonalds. 

One of the places where we dance. A former Italian social club

Not sure what Romulus and Remus are doing on an office building in South America. However, Argentines have been described as Italians who speak Spanish. This building was originally an Italian something or other. 

The kept the tower of a former mansion and build a modern office building around it. What? 

Teatro Colon

Teatro Colon entrance. Many of the details on buildings like the3se wrought iron pieces were imported from Europe.

Teatro Colon detail at night

Recoleta Cemetery has some nice architecture too. It is a major tourist attraction partially because of the location, and partially because Eva Peron is buried here.