1. - The Estación Retiro Railway Station
It is the biggest railway complex in Buenos Aires and one of the biggest in the world. The present time construction is from the year 1914, and the English architect Eustace Lauriston Counder was in charge of the design. Presently it has more than thirty railroad transportation lines, besides an internal connection with line C of the metropolitan subway. It is located on Avenida Ramos Mejia Avenue, between the Avenidas Libertador and Antártida Argentina.

2. - The Torre Monumental Tower or Torre de los Ingleses - The Englishmen's Tower.
It has a 16th century English renaissance style. It is about 76 metres high and has 8 stories including its Corinthian style columns belfry holding five bells in its upper level, the biggest of which (a bronze bell) weighs approximately six metric tons.

The Gillet and Jolmston House made the particular and characteristic clock, standing between the sixth and seventh floors. The Tower's weather vane has a vessel representing the crossing of the oceans by a frigate of the Elizabethan period.


It was inaugurated only in the year 1916, because England could not assist to the centennial ceremony in 1910, due to the British Crown's mourning for the death of Edward VII, who had been King of Great Britain and Ireland during the years 1901-1910.

After The Falklands War in 1982, the tower changed its name to Torre Monumental, but people still call it Torre de los Ingleses (The Englishmen's Tower). It is located in the Plaza Fuerza Aérea Argentina Square or the Plaza Britannia Square, between the Avenidas San Martin and Libertador; facing the Estación Retiro Railway Station.

(Nearest Underground subway station: Retiro - Line C)

3. - The Plaza República del Canadá Square
This attractive plaza near the port area holds an authentic totem pole from the Vancouver Island, donated to the city by a group of Canadians. The artefact is about 20 metres high and weighs 4 tons. According to native's myth, the artists represented the animals in their established order: from top to bottom an eagle can be seen, followed by a sea lion, an otter, a whale, a beaver, a bird of prey and, finally, a man's head.

4. - The Calle Florida Street
In spite of the fact that all streets surrounding the Plaza San Martin square are worth walking a stroll, Florida, the most famous pedestrian street in the city, gets millions of visitors a day. With its 11 showy blocks, Florida is an important commercial centre connected to the City (main financial centre) in its initial blocks, and has clothes, shoes, purses, jackets and music stores and shops; galleries as well as newspaper and magazine booths. The street was inaugurated at the end of the 18th century and was originally called Empedrado (Stone paved)

5. - The Plaza San Martin Square
Its surrounding architecture makes it one of the most attractive squares in the city. It is meant to honour General Jose Francisco de San Martin (1778-1850), known as the Liberator by the Argentineans and as The Protector by the Peruvians; being a hero of South America's independence from the Spanish Crown.

In this plaza the first equestrian monument in the country stands out, sculpted by the French artist Louis Joseph Daumas in 1862. The piece was cast entirely in bronze and depicts the figure of The Liberator riding a rearing horse, showing his grenadiers the way with his extended right arm.

Bordered by the traditional Florida Street and the elegant Maipu Street, with its landscaping design, sculptures and the mansions that belonged to Porteño upper class families, it is, after the Plaza de Mayo Square, one of the most attractive and visited in Buenos Aires.

(Nearest Underground subway station: Retiro - Line C)

6. - The Edificio Kavanagh Building
Being one of the first skyscrapers ever built in Buenos Aires; it has been a symbol of the modern port city for a long time. It was opened in the year 1936 on Florida Street 1065. It is 30 stories and 120 metres high, thus surpassing the Edificio Barolo building, built in 1923. It offers an attractive view towards the Plaza San Martin Square and the Rio de la Plata River. Its architecture is based upon five juxtaposed volumes with an exterior combining elements of Rationalism and Art Deco styles. The edifice was entirely built out of reinforced concrete and inside shelters the memorabilia of illustrious Argentinean families. It has been declared a National Historic Monument.

(Nearest Underground subway station: San Martin - Line C)

7. - The Hotel Plaza Hotel
It is the most traditional de Luxe hotel in Buenos Aires. It was the first ever to have elevators or lifts and has accommodated famous writers, artists, presidents and kings who chose it as their residence during their trips, because they could hardly find, even in other parts of the world, such special attention and a cuisine with such a notable excellence. It has been refurbished many times to upgrade it according to the times, but it still keeps its incomparable distinguished air. It was inaugurated in 1909, and stands on Florida Street 1005.

8. - The Basilica del Santísimo Sacramento Church
It is located on San Martin Street 1039, behind the current luxurious Plaza Marriott Hotel. It goes back to 1916 and was commissioned by the aristocratic Anchorena family to the architects Couloms and Chauvet, in the precincts that were formerly occupied by the Laprida Villa. Its five towers stand out in the exterior, while its white marble ornaments, Venetian mosaics, onyx and bronze do so in the interior.

9. - The Catalinas Norte Neighbourhood
Catalinas Norte urbanization owes its name to the Las Catalinas Convent that stood in the corner of Viamonte and San Martin streets until 1974. The urbanization process started precisely in that year. It is a much sought after space for international firms opening branches in Argentina. It is located in an area comprised by the Avenidas Cordoba, Eduardo Madero and Leandro N. Aleman and San Martin Street.

(Nearest Underground Subway station: Retiro - Line C).

10. - The Administracion de Parques Nacionales - National Parks Administration Building
Since 1942, this state organization, located on Avenida Santa Fe 690, occupies a luxurious neo gothic style edifice, built by the architects Passeron and Brizuela in 1880 as the residence of the aristocratic Haedo family. It has an interesting library distinguished for its environmental issues specialization. From its top floor there is a nice view of the intersection of Florida and Marcelo T. De Alvear streets with the Avenida Santa Fe.

(Nearest Underground Subway station: San Martin - Line C).

11. - The Círculo Militar Military Club
It was built in the beginnings of the 20th century. Its construction, of about 12 thousand square metres of covered area, took approximately 22 years. Up until 1935 it was the residence of Jose C. Paz, founder of the La Prensa newspaper, and therefore named Palacio Paz until 1939, when it became the site of the Círculo Militar. It holds a library, the Fundación del Círculo Militar and the Museo de Armas de la Nación museum. It is recommended to visit the museum because the palace is not open to the public, and in doing so one can appreciate a minimal part of its interior and the exhibitions taking place in it. The museum opens its doors Tuesdays through Fridays from 2:30 PM to 7:00 PM and Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

(Nearest Underground Subway station: San Martin - Line C).

12. - The Palacio San Martin Palace
This majestic palace is located in Arenales Street, between Esmeralda and Basavilbaso streets. Its baroque and stately façade, with a notorious French influence, was awarded a prize in 1910. It is not really a palace but a grouping of three independent residences connected around a central patio. They were built almost in the manner of a sculpture and all the elements of the French academicism are displayed here.

The central patio, called Patio de Honour, had a double stairway from which to access the three residences. In the present time, part of the official installations functioning there were moved to a new location, and a process of refurbishing and adaptation to new usages has been initiated. Its doors are open to the public and there are guided tours, relating to its history, construction, as well as art pieces belonging to the Chancellery collection. It is recommended to call 4819-7000 to find out about the guided tours.

13. - The Círculo Naval Navy Club
Swiss architects Dunant and Mallet built it in 1914. Its main doors are real emblems of artistic ironwork, and the bronze stands out on its external decoration. Facing this building is the renowned Galerías Pacífico. It is located on Florida and Avenida Cordoba.

14. - Galerías Pacífico
The original design, commissioned to architects Emilio Agrelo and Raul Vacher in the year 1889, was conceived to hold a group of shops similar to those existing in France or Italy. In 1908 the Buenos Aires railroad company acquired the building. In 1946 it was transformed into a commercial gallery, covering the circulation areas with barrel vaults that converge in a large central dome shelling 450 square metres across. Finally, in 1992 the Centro Comercial y Cultural was opened, initiating the most flourishing era of the secular and dreamt of Argentinean Bon Marché. It is located on Avenida Cordoba and Florida, San Martin and Viamonte streets. It was declared a National Historic Monument in 1989.

(Nearest Underground Subway station: Lavalle - Line C, and San Martin - Line D).

15. - The Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena Convent
At the start of the 18th century, Dionisio de Torres Briceño sailed to Spain in order to request the royal authorization to found an Augustine or Dominican Convent. He got the corresponding permission from Felipe V in 1717. The drawings were commissioned to Italian architect Andres Bianchi (1677-1752), who had participated in the construction of the Cabildo, the school and church of San Ignacio, and the churches Del Pilar and De La Merced, amongst others.

The construction of the convent in the current crossing of Mexico and Defensa streets started ten years later, but the works were stopped until 1737, when the purchase of a new plot for the construction site was decided, in the block now limited by San Martin, Viamonte and Reconquista streets and Avenida Cordoba. The edifice, built entirely out of brick and lime, is one of the best examples of colonial architecture of its time. It has been declared a National Historic Monument. It is located at the corner of Avenida Rivadavia and San Martin. Tel. 4331-2845.

16.- The Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernández Blanco Museum
Architect Martin Noel built this neo colonial style museum in 1925.The material and the objects that are found in it came from a donation he made in 1936, and from the collections of Fernandez Blanco (1947) and Celina Gonzalez (1962). The museum guards an interesting collection of furniture, tapestries, furniture pieces, paintings, religious artefacts and silverwork from the colonial period. It is located in Suipacha 1422. It opens its doors to the public every day from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM save Mondays; and offers guided tours Saturdays and Sundays at 4:00 PM.

17.- The Torre Mihanovich Tower - Hotel Sofitel
Those who remember by heart say that in 1929 Nicolas Mihanovich wanted to built the tallest building in Buenos Aires to watch the ships setting sail bound to Colonia, in Uruguay. Moreover, they also say that Mihanovich wanted the tower to be the first thing to attract the attention of passengers arriving to Buenos Aires port, due to its evocation of a lighthouse illuminating the Rio de la Plata River.

Rising above 841 Arroyo Street, the Mihanovich Tower was for a long time the tallest building in town with its 20 stories and height of 80 metres. However, its creators wanted the building to stand 95 metres high but the administration of that moment considered it excessive and dangerous. For this reason, 10 stories were taken away from the original project.

The construction shows an eclectic combination of styles, typical of the transition that Argentinean architecture was experiencing during those years. There are classic ornaments with Art Deco and first rationalism variations. All the obtained data shows that the Mihanovich Tower is the first building made out of reinforced concrete in Buenos Aires and one of the first with special partitions to hold sway against the b winds.

It was totally refurbished by the end of 2002, to give birth to the international chain hotel brand Sofitel Buenos Aires.

HOW TO GET THERE

Underground Subway Line C, San Martín station.

Bus Lines: 5, 7, 9, 10, 17, 26, 28, 33, 45, 50, 70, 75, 92, 93, 100, 101, 106, 108, 115, 130, 132, 150 y 152.

Neighbourhoods San Telmo