We are told by historians that this neighbourhood barrio owes its name to one of the first owners of this area of land: the Sicilian Juan Domínguez Palermo, a wealthy businessman, "married to a Conquistador's daughter", who acquired it somewhere around the year 1590.

Since those times, this area has been called the Palermo fields. And in these low lying and swampy fields, which were prone to flooding when the river rose, he had vineyards and also grew other fruit, as well as wheat.

In the beginning of the XIXth century, the land was bought by Juan Manuel de Rosas, which added them to other terrains to set up a farm comprising 541 hectares. (Approximately 1190 acres).

In the corner of what today are the Avenidas Libertador and Sarmiento, Rosas built a mansion in the colonial style with a balcony enclosing its perimeter, improved the roads and filled in the low parts with earth brought from the Belgrano riverbanks. He also built a small chapel, inside the southern tower, called San Benito de Palermo because of the black people working in the mansion.

The Palermo of today is the area more directly involved with the Parque 3 de Febrero Park or the Palermo Woods - the Bosques de Palermo, as it is commonly known. A beautiful place built in the midst of the attractive greenery and most important relaxation area of the City. The broad sidewalks of the ample Avenida del Libertador, the Japanese Garden, the Rose garden, the golf links and the lake, are but a few of the area's main attractions for people to wander around in.

This neighbourhood barrio can be divided into three areas: Old Palermo - "Palermo Viejo", Small Palermo - "Palermo Chico" and the Palermo Gardens - "Jardines de Palermo". However, looking at architectural styles, two of these areas stand out:

PALERMO CHICO
It is but a part of this large neighbourhood barrio, characterised by a layout combining buildings and the park. The architect Carlos Thays designed it.

As a counterproposal to the Spanish traditional urban checkerboard layout of this part of the continent, he proposed curved and irregularly laid out streets, with many ample and large green areas and magnificent mansions, that today harbour foreign embassies and entities. At the further end of it you will find the José Hernández Museum of Argentinean Motives.

With the Avenida del Libertador as its principal artery, this neighbourhood barrio is the most tree-shaded part of the City and one of the largest as to area. Its woods and flowering gardens make up the most extensive green lung area of Buenos Aires.

Here you can enjoy magnolias, jacarandas, lapachos, pines, araucarias and several species of palm trees. It is the ideal place for a Sunday walk. Around its lakes you can find many people practising sports, stroll, roller-skate, ride bicycles or just sit and take in the sun.

Early every morning and also at dusk during the week, it is common to find many people jogging or just walking in the area, each one making his (or her) own circuit around the Galileo Planetarium, the Japanese Garden, or crossing the Avenida del Libertador by the Monument to the Spaniards on their way towards the Zoological Garden or else the Botanical Garden.

Here you will also find the main exhibit and trade fairs of the City: the Palermo Trade Fair Grounds and the Municipal Exhibition Centre.


THE PALERMO GARDENS.
Here you will find the imposing statue of Sarmiento, created by the sculptor Auguste Rodín in 1900, the famous Rose Garden with its lake, the Andaluz Courtyard, a gift from the City of Seville to the City of Buenos Aires, the huge Monument to the Spaniards, and the Galileo Galilee Planetarium are but a few examples of what this barrio can offer the visitor.

On Avenida del Libertador General San Martín and Dorrego Street you will find the Argentinean Horse Racing Course - Hipódromo Argentino, a true testimony of the architectural Belle Époque style, where horse racing takes place, as well as social events. s.

If you cross the broad Avenida del Libertador, you will the Argentinean Horse Polo Fields - Campo Argentino de Polo, where in November every year the Open National Championship -Campeonato Abierto de la República takes place. An area running parallel to the Avenida del Libertador, between the streets of Dorrego and Olleros approximately was totally renewed to convert it into residential and night entertainment area known as San Benito de Palermo (The name of the local parish) but better known as "Las Cañitas".

Across the railroad tracks you will find The King Fahd Islamic Cultural Centre - Centro Cultural Islámico Rey Fahd, with an extension of three hectares (Approximately 7 acres). It was inaugurated in September of 2000. It has a school, exhibit and conference halls, a library and a mosque that can hold up to 1600 faithful.

Palermo Chico together with the Jardines de Palermo, with an extension running from the Plaza Italia and due east, make up one of the jewels of the City of Buenos Aires and a visit there will leave you open-mouthed.

Attractions in Palermo