54 kilometres north of Buenos Aires, Pilar offers numerous social and cultural activities for both, adults and children, along with the beauty of its plazas, parks, pedestrian ways and horseback rides on the surroundings or at the estancias.

The colonisation of the territory that would later become Pilar, began in the year 1580, when Juan de Garay made the "Distribution of the Lands and Fortunes of the Estancias" amongst his travel companions. This is how navigator Antonio Bermudez got Fortune Number 8, which included an important sector of the current territory of the District of Pilar.

Nonetheless, the first settlement was established in the vicinity of the San Jose de Luján Fort in 1752, and that is why it was annexed to the Municipality of the Town of Luján in 1755; years later, in 1174, the region began to be called "of Pilar", and it would only belong to Luján until 1821, year in which Pilar becomes a district.

The "Treaty of Pilar", signed by Governors Sarratea (Buenos Aires), Lopez (Santa Fe) and Ramirez (Entre Rios), which put an end to the civil war amongst these provinces, and where the central power in Buenos Aires agrees on the principles of national federalism, was signed in this historic town in 1820; in this way, the bases of what was later to be legislated on the constitution of 1853, were laid.

Two years prior to this, the City Council of Buenos Aires had authorised moving Old Pilar to its current location, in the vicinity of the Luján River. The founder of New Pilar was Lorenzo Lopez, hero of the resistance against the English invasions. In 1958 the Town of Pilar was upgraded to the category of city.

The great boost the municipality has given to the tourist and cultural offers in the past few years, in the City of Pilar and its neighbouring towns, has turned the zone into one of the great mini tourism classic destinations on weekends for the people of Buenos Aires.

After sunset teenagers have several possibilities where to choose from to continue enjoying the night, be it at the discotheques or other attractions in the city. It also has several movie theatres, theatres, restaurants and cafés.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Municipal Palace
The first municipal manager of Pilar was Don Tomas Marquez, and the cornerstone of this building was laid by the Governor of the Province of Buenos Aires, Guillermo Udaondo, in the year 1896. There are four prison cells behind the building, where according to oral tradition, wanderer Juan Moreira was held in the late XIX century.

Moreira cultivated the so-called pamphlet gender, and his' was inspired on historic events and characters, on popular myths or on material from the police chronicles, which were meant for a rather uncultivated public regarding literature. This building of colonial features is located on 660 Rivadavia Avenue, before the 12 de Octubre Plaza.

Old Pilar
It is a place propitious for archaeological investigations that houses the adobe chapel where the Treaty of Pilar was signed on February the 23rd of 1820. This treaty meant the birth of national federalism, because its signing marked the ceasefire between the Provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Rios on the one hand, and that of Buenos Aires on the other, which is one of the main events in Argentina's history; hence, Pilar is recognised as the cradle of federalism.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima
This former seminary and current chapel is run by the Fathers Serfs of Mary, a Florentine congregation, since 1955; and masses, weddings and christens are celebrated in it. It is located at the kilometre 62 of National Route Nº 8.

12 de Octubre Plaza
It is the main plaza, and it is called like this in honour of the day of the patron feast of the Virgin of Pilar. It is situated before the Municipal Palace, in the core of the old city, and it was declared National Historic Monument in the year 1942 in consideration to the agreement achieved on the Treaty of Pilar. It is worth of visiting for it has a great variety of autochthonous and exotic plant species, and on weekends, especially on Sundays, flashy handicraft vending stands are set on its walks, where local artisans trade interesting objects. A replica of the statue of the Virgin of Pilar was raised in it to commemorate the 5th centennial of the discovery of America.

Pilar Village Compound
It is an amusement and recreational compound that houses last generation multiplexes, a bingo with electronic machines, and shops amongst which we have bookshops, music shops, diverse restaurants, theme bars, pubs, food court and parking area. It is located on the descent leading to Chubut Street, and you can visit it either at day or at night.

Cross of Pilar
It is also called Cross of the Jesuits, though its origin is yet unclear; it is said that by the late XVIII century a group of Jesuit missioners going northbound across the country made a stop in this peaceful area, and raised a wooden cross to prey and ask the Divine for protection on their journey; however, there is another version, less spread, that points out that it was a reference point for the new location of the town. In any case, the cross was later made of masonry and surrounded by an iron grid. It is located on P. Lagrave y Parana Street

Pilar Sheraton Hotel & Convention Centre
This three-storey hotel offers 140 rooms that include eight suites with a view of the magnificent garden, with fountains and pools framed by an aged grove. All the rooms have air conditioner, 29" cable TV, three telephones with two direct lines, data port, voice mail, safety box, mini bar, hi-fi set, alarm clock and hairdryer. It also has two restaurants: Don Giovanni Ristorante, serving Italian gourmet food; and Las Vasijas, a perfect option for breakfast, lunch and supper with an excellent buffet. It is located on the Pan American Route, at the kilometre 9.3, on General Güemes and Los Almendros.

Argentine Polo Association
It is a picturesque castle built in the late XIX century on a terrain donated by King Carlos III. It has eight official courts, which make of it the second most important polo facility in the world after that of Palermo, in the Federal Capital. National and international tournaments take place yearly in here between August and March. The District of Pilar also has an especial mountain bike circuit, the S. Zunino circuit for car races, and important golf clubs.

Country Clubs, Condos and Private Neighbourhoods
Pilar became an ideal place to rest and relax since the mid XX century, and it is mainly attended by the people living and working in the Federal Capital; although, there are also families who decided to move for good to this picturesque and peaceful place. Hence, the construction of houses in different country clubs, condos and private neighbourhoods rapidly grew.

They have an important and diverse infrastructure for sports and activities in open air, showy landscapes and park areas, tennis, volleyball and soccer courts, roofed and exposed swimming pools, polo pitches, golf courses, stables, etc. There is no doubt that you will find an option suitable for you amongst these many offers.

Pilar also offers a diverse and ample shade of houses within this natural frame, surrounded by green fields and parks with water mirrors, thought so that everyone can find that which matches their needs.

IAE Administration and Business School
It is part of the Austral University and occupies eight hectares within the ample campus; the buildings of the IAE have been built taking into consideration the most advanced architectonic concepts; its natural setting and technological equipment offer the best conditions for studying, reflecting and dialoguing. The four buildings occupy a total roofed area of 22500 square metres.

HUA - Austral University Hospital
It is a modern medical facility that belongs to the Austral University as well; with a last generation technology and an outstanding attention, the main particularity of this project is precisely its campus character. This aspect keeps the assistance, the training and the investigation firmly intertwined in a non profitable institution, located on 1500 Juan Domingo Peron Avenue, before the enclosed neighbourhood of La Delfina, at the kilometre 50 of the Pan American Route, Pilar bifurcation.

Mayor Lopez Municipal Museum
You can admire old weapons, shields and uniforms from that period in its diverse rooms, along with remembrances of illustrious neighbours, and an important recompilation of historic documents such as those related to the signing of the Treaty of Pilar. It is located on Ituzaingó and Tucumán Streets, and is open to the public Mondays through Sundays from 9:00 to 19:00 hours.

Expo Museum of Weird Things
It displays a peculiar collection of old objects and testimonies of all kinds: motorcycles, cars, bicycles, audio sets, taxidermies, advertisings, curiosities, military objects left behind and old toys, amongst other things. In this place begins Castro Avenue, which further ahead becomes Provincial Route Nº 28, along which you can cut the approximately five kilometres separating it from the outstanding Homage to Las Malvinas Monument. It is located on 1000 Rivadavia Street, and can be visited Mondays through Sundays from 9:00 to 21:00 hours.

Toba Community
There is a Toba community living in Presidente Derqui since 1996, composed of 32 families with a total of 130 people, who have Chief Clemente Lopez as the head of the Council of Representatives. Here you can purchase clay and wooden works, textiles and basketworks, amongst other handicrafts.

Institute of the Divine Verb
It is an institution dedicated to education since 1946, constituted by an imposing building with admirable suites. There is an underground museum with taxidermies, fossils and very old and curious devices for physical, chemical and biological experiments.

Arrivata Farm
It has a factory of handmade cheese, a mini zoo, and playgrounds for children and a lot more; it is an ambit suitable for having fun while learning at the same time.

Pilar Industrial Park
It is located at the kilometre 61 of National Route Nº 8, and is the most important one in South America. More than one hundred national and multinational factories dedicated to aviculture, metallurgy, petrochemical, cosmetics, medicinal laboratories, sport shoes and clothes, amongst others, are grouped in its 950 hectares.

Two localities stand out nearby this conglomerate: Manzanares, close to the Luján River, a small town of long gone times where the few houses are old constructions in the midst of a calmed and charming rural setting; and tiny Fatima, close to the well known Pilar Golf Club, which is another peaceful town that can be visited along the access road, after crossing the railway inserted in this beautiful landscape.

Torres del Sol Shopping Mall
It is a place ideal to visit, with a market, a bank, a jeweller's shop, a cluster of telephone booths, a toyshop, a beauty parlour, an ice-cream parlour and a pharmacy, amongst other diverse services and shops; there are also restaurants, bars, pubs, sweetshops and a food court in a nice atmosphere. The shopping mall has a huge parking area and a gas station; it can be accessed in the same way as Pilar Village Compound.

Las Palmas del Pilar Shopping Mall
It is a huge and strategic compound where hypermarket Jumbo can be found, along with Easy, wholesalers of home appliances. It is flanked by two gas stations, on at the far end of the Pan American Route, and the other at the far end of National Route Nº 8. It has an ample and extensive parking lot for visitors, which provides direct access to many of the shops extended along the shopping mall. It is also an amusement and recreational centre that has state of the art multiplexes.