Monserrat Neighborhood

Together with San Nicolás, this neighborhood constitutes downtown and at the same time the fundamental nucleus, so to speak of the history of this neighborhood would be as speaking directly of the history of the city. Although commonly people don't denominate to the area that occupy these two neighborhoods for her name but rather they denominate it the Center, it would be necessary to begin saying that the avenue Rivadavia constitutes the limit among the two neighborhoods for what places so important as the Plaza de Mayo (May Square) and the Plaza Congreso (Congress Square) are framed inside this neighborhood, while others as the Cathedral are in San Nicolás. The Plaza de Mayo is the historical center of the Argentina, in this place they were given most of the momentous facts of the history, from the Week of May where the independence was gestated, until the marches of the Plaza de Mayo Mothers , requesting for its missing detained sons during the last military dictatorship, including the full squares during the time of Perón. Today this square is a permanent headquarters of protests of diverse sectors of the society. In front of the Square it´s the traditional Cabildo (Town Council), only building conserved since the colonial administration, although with some reformations. They also stand out the Palace of the Government of the City, the House of the Culture and the Legislature of the City. The Rosy House, headquarters of the National Government is in the other end of the square. Their building is conformed by the old building to which that of Mail was added, being in a beginning crossed by a passage in the one that then an arch was built that united to the two buildings. If one observes a little it is seen that the construction is completely asymmetric. Behind the Rosy House that possesses a museum, they are the ruins of the old Customs and the Park Columbus, with their monument. The neighborhoods differ if it leaves the Plaza de Mayo toward Monserrat or toward San Nicolás, being the construction of the first one in general quite older and fewer been modernized. After Square of May the neighborhood formerly called Cathedral is developed to the South, in which mix the gigantic public buildings, as the former Hypothecary Bank, the Ministry of Economy, in which it can be seen in the marbles of its walls the marks of the bombings from the air force to Perón, the Building Libertador, of the army, the Customs, the School Otto Krausse, with other smaller and older conventillos (old popularhouses) and historical houses as that of Liniers. The Manzana de las Luces (Lights Apple) is on the street Bolivar where the university worked, where the National School of Buenos Aires, of 1911, and San Ignacio's, 1675 Church is. In this apple it´s also the Room of Representatives, old organ legislative. For under some old tunnels run, enabled recently to be visited that communicated these buildings with others in cases of emergency. They also stand out San Francisco's churches, San Roque and Santo Domingo. This last one, has incrusted in their domes the bullets shot during the English invasions and in their interior the flags captured to this army. In their entrance it is the Mausoleum with the eminent Manuel Belgrano remains. Also in the Plaza de Mayo there is a monument in their honor. The street Balcarce has been recently reformed settling in its journey several restaurants and discos, some dedicated to the tango. A beautiful building of the area is that of the corner of Belgrano and Peru, with a group of atlases sustaining the structure. On Avenue of May they stand out several places like the Café Tortoni and the Palacio Barolo, for some people the prettiest building in the city. In Plaza Congreso it is together with other important buildings that surround it, the Monument to the two Congresses and one of the copies of the "Thinker" of Rodin. On the avenue July 9 are the monument to the Quijote and the Building of the Ministry of Public Works. In front of the Legislature is the Monument to Roca. The General Barracks of the Federal Police is near the Congress. Other places to highlight are the Museum of the City and the Museum " Ambrosetti ", with a etnic collection. Obviously they are outside of this review another quantity of places that conform the history so rich of this part of the city.

History

The origin of the name of this neighborhood comes from the virgin from Monserrat, very worshipped in Catalonia that for being of dark color when having been buried its image for near a hundred years to hide it of the Arab, it was very worshipped by people of African origin that inhabited the place.

San Nicolás Neighborhood

Located toward the north of the Plaza de Mayo, this neighborhood forms together with Monserrat the center and historical nucleus of the city. Contrary to the other one, this it suffered a bigger modernization in their general structure, although being conserved some buildings and traditional churches. The whole area that goes from the avenue Alem to the Florida walk street, is denominated the " city ", and it´s where most of the banks of the city are located, with some very interesting constructions. They stand out the Main House of the Nación Bank and the French Bank in front of the Plaza de Mayo. The two walk streets of the city are in this neighborhood. Florida that commences to the height of Plaza de Mayo, runs toward Retiro, flooded of trade and offices, Lavalle that crosses with Florida and it arrives until near the Obelisco, it was in another moment the street of the cinemas. Today the cinemas moved to the shoppings and big complex and the street was reconverted to the commercial activity. The Corrientes avenue, traditional center of the Buenos Aires night, with their cinemas, theaters and gastronomic locals also runs here. Among their Buildings they stand out the Theater San Martin, the Theater Opera, example of the Art Decó and the Building Sáfico. Other excellent buildings of the area are the Palace of the Communications and Central Mail, in Corrientes and Alem, this last avenue, the one that was in a time the Alameda, is a hoisted boulevard, the Bolsa de Comercio, the building of Tribunals, in front of the Plaza Lavalle (Lavalle Square), the Mitre Museum, the Gallery Güemes and the Gallery Garden. A characteristic point of this area is the Plaza de la República, in the one that is located the Obelisco (Shaft), point of reference of the city that was lifted on the avenue 9 of Julio in 1936 to commemorate the 400 years of the first foundation of the city with a height 67 meters.

History

The name of this neighborhood comes from San Nicolás Parish that was demolished when it was crated the avenue 9 de Julio.