Private Tour Of The Architecture And Palaces Of Buenos Aires

Private Tour Of The Architecture And Palaces Of Buenos Aires Photo #1 of 2 Photo copyright ShoreTrips.com.

Overview

Buenos Aires is referred to as the 'Paris of the South'.

The time of the palaces is called the Belle Epoque period, when things were settled and comfortable preceding WWI, sort of a romantic reproduction of Paris life.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Buenos Aires was one of the richest cities in the world. Much of its wealth came from the customs duties it collected and the foreign trade of Argentinian products in general. But so did the existence of the fertile pampas and the railroad development in the second half of the 19th century. All gave Buenos Aires increased economic power as raw materials were so accessible to its factories.

Because of that the city went through great urban changes that were influenced by the aesthetics of the French in its urban planning and architecture. The aristocracy of wealthy families moved to the north of the city in neighborhoods such as Retiro, Recoleta and Palermo where they built new houses, which to many were majestic palaces. The legacy of these architectural beauties continue to bring back the memories of that time and so many have been maintained that their value historically and economically has continued as they decorate the streets of the city.

Your guide will have the inside scoop about the families that occupied many of these properties and the transfer of ownership that occurred in most cases. Some were government buildings but most were built by the bourgeoise. A few words below about some of these properties will whet your appetite to see them in person. Some of those properties are described briefly below but most will be uncovered as you enjoy your tour.

The Barolo Palace, for instance, was finished in 1923 and was the tallest building in South America. Luis Barolo, originally from Italy, was endlessly in love with the immortal work of Dante. He decided to save at least the ashes of the beloved writer and created a kind of mausoleum to keep the remains of Dante.

The National Parliament was constructed between 1898 and 1906, is a National Historic Landmark, and is also referred to as Palace of the Argentine National Congress.
The palace is in Neoclassical style, largely made of white marble with elaborately furnished interiors and a bronze plated dome weathered to a green color. A symbol of the Argentine Republic, a huge bronze scene sits over the entrance with the symbolic Liberty holding the reins of the horses.

The Colon Theatre is the main opera house in Buenos Aires. It is considered one of the ten best opera houses in the world by National Geographic and is acoustically considered to be amongst the five best concert venues in the world.

Paz Palace, or sometimes referred to as Peace Palace, was the home of José Camilo Paz, founder of the newspaper La Prensa. Its façade reminds us of a fortified French Chateau with high walls and elegant crowns. Its main door is one of the great jewels of Buenos Aires.

The San Martín Palace is, today, the headquarters of the Argentine Chancellery. It was originally the great house of the Anchorena family and is characterized by a large pointed reception with two staircases of honor that lead to the raised upper floor. In 1936 it was bought by the Argentine Foreign Ministry and was named 'Palacio San Martín', fulfilling the function of Headquarters of Argentine Diplomacy.

You will have a new view of Buenos Aires when you complete this excursion with insight into the illustrious past and why it earned the title 'The Paris of the South'!

- There will be limited walking during this tour.
- No food or beverages are included in the tour.

- Covid has restricted inside tours of those properties that allowed them before the pandemic. They will resume them when possible to do them safely.

Days offered: 7 days a week

Departures:

• 09:00 AM, duration: 3 hours
• 01:00 PM, duration: 3 hours