Tucuman is Not the Man of Tookoo

Few cities in Argentina have an historical importance comparable to that of Tucuman. Since its peak days during the early 19th century the city has been constantly declining in prominence; yet, with half a million denizens, it is the biggest city in Northern Argentina. Moreover, the fertile plains surrounding it provide few touristy attractions. These have transformed Tucuman into a paradise for the tourist attempting to avoid crowds fighting for the best photograph’s angle while nearby they can purchase it as a postcard.

Despite its mild latitude, Tucuman is very hot, maybe due to the lack of a moderating sea nearby; the result is that during the noon and early afternoon the denizens are busy with their siesta. There is no better time for the worldwide pilgrim for taking a look around.

Downtown Tucuman is tidily arranged around the Plaza Independencia, the central plaza. This was the site of the city foundation in 1685, after being translated here from Ibatin; accordingly the plaza displays a colonial setup.

At its very center is the marble "Estatua de la Libertad" (Liberty Statue), sculpted by the local artist Lola Mora in classical Greek style in 1904. The plaza is surrounded by two wide sidewalks; interestingly, the bricks used for them until the 1970’s were brought from Europe by Argentinean ships as dead weight, after those left local products there.

The main buildings surrounding the plaza include much of Tucuman’s main attractions: the Cathedral, the Government House, the Iglesia y Convento San Francisco, the Jockey Club Tucuman, the Plaza Hotel, the Casa Padilla (the Provincial Museum) and the Federacion Económica de Tucuman; the last two are placed within old residential houses.

Nearby, on Congreso 151, is the Museo Historico de la Independencia Argentina, placed on the reconstructed house where on July 9, 1816, the Argentinean independence from Spain was declared.

On Rivadavia corner Av. 24 de Septiembre is the Iglesia de la Merced, where in a bizarre event the Argentinean General Belgrano declared the Virgin Mary a full general in his army. The same general gave his name to the Folkloric Museum on 565, 24 de Septiembre Street; it displays items from northern Argentina.

One block northwest of the central plaza are two walking streets, namely the Peatonal Mendoza and Peatonal Muñecas, which host many restaurants and shops inviting the exploring party to a well-earned break or shopping spree.

Six blocks eastwards of the central plaza is the 9 of July Park, just north of the bus terminal. The big green space is the ideal place for ending an easy afternoon survey of Tucuman’s main sights with a tasty picnic. The park is huge and includes several attractions like a clock of flowers (its parts are covered with grass and flowers), a lake and several colorful gardens. It was designed by a French architect for the celebration of the Argentinean independence centenary in 1916.

Two of the most important churches in Tucuman and Northern Argentina are placed at kitty corners of the Plaza Independencia. Both – the Cathedral and the Iglesia y Convento San Francisco – include important relics beyond the fact of being important historical buildings themselves. Visiting them as a unit is recommended. The huge plaza separating them allows also enjoying the buildings at their full glory; viewing angles and distances are not determined by surrounding structures.

The Cathedral

Tucuman’s original Iglesia Matriz, was reconstructed and consecrated as a cathedral in 1856. Back then it was considered one of the best churches in the country and one of the main cathedrals in Argentina, together with the ones in Buenos Aires and Cordoba. Opened shortly after the civil war between Federalists and Centralists ended and a new constitution was written, the cathedral symbolized hopes for a new period of peace and prosperity; hopes which were fulfilled for a few decades.

The French architect Etcheverry used several styles in its design. Its base is Doric, its middle Ionic, its top Corinthian, the façade is neoclassic, and the towers have Slavic characteristics, creating a pleasant mishmash of Greek and Slavic origins. The sculptor Finochiaro created a facade base on biblical themes in which Tucuman is compared to the Promised Land.

Several historical items were used in its construction. The original wooden cross of the Iglesia Matriz was kept, while the clock was brought from the nearby Cabildo, upon which the Government House was built. Inside are three tombs, one belonging to a general and the two others to bishops. Two small images of Saint Jude and Saint Simon are kept and revered there; they are considered the city’s protectors since an attack by the Cachaqui people in 1578. The inner side of the central dome is decorated with paintings depicting the creation of the world.

Iglesia y Convento San Francisco

Placed in front of the Government House and near the central plaza, this church was founded by the Compañia de Jesus, which was responsible for the construction of several other important churches in the area – especially in Potosi. Next to the church is the convent, which is closed to the public and includes a huge, green garden.

When the Compañia de Jesus was expelled from South America in 1767 – together with the Jesuits, to whom it was related – the church was given first to the Dominicans and later to the Franciscans, who keep it until now.

The gorgeous actual dome and nave were constructed between 1879 and 1885; the paints decorating its interior date back to 1925. several relics are kept in its interior; including the first Argentinean flag (used here in 1814), a wooden altar prepared by indigenous people in Misiones and covered in gold, the tomb of a 1816 congress member, and the chairs and table used during the Argentinean independence declaration in 1816.

On Sunday’s noon, I found myself alone in a deserted city; the denizens had disappeared for their obligatory siesta and the downtown shops were closed. With forty degrees Celsius in the shade (where had the trees disappeared?), wandering around was out of the question. The shopping mall at the nearby terminal was open, but eating fast food there seemed wrong.

In front of the terminal I spotted an open restaurant; it obviously was meant for workers, but for me it meant the opportunity to visit a truly local food joint. Since I was visiting Tucuman for the second time, it was time for deepening my understanding of the local food. I entered and ignoring the looks of the clientele took a seat, waiting for an exciting culinary adventure.

The Setup

The place is a bit crowded, with simple tables and chairs fighting for a place among the television, the counter and the freezers. Sadly, the staff allowed the entrance of vendors who kept pushing around useless trinkets.

Wiener Schnitzel

Wiener Schnitzel became a globally available and appreciated dish. I never found – despite my constant nagging – why in South America it is called "Milanesa." Probably that is the result of the massive Italian migration to Argentina; maybe the dish was introduced by immigrants from Milan. Up to here everything makes sense.

Less clear is the name of a related typical Argentinean dish, the "Milanesa Napolitana;" literally "from Milan from Napoli." The contradiction held a promise of an interesting dish and I decided to try it here. The dish was accompanied by chopped vegetables and cost about three dollars.

The best approach while assessing the Milanesa and related dishes is forgetting about the look and taste of the original dish; the adaptations are so massive that a straight comparison is almost impossible.

The Argentinean Milanesa is prepared with a thick chunk of beef of irregular shape; despite being much smaller than a schnitzel, it is thicker. Coated with bread and fried the result resembles a schnitzel. The Napolitana part of the name refers to a heavy layer of melted cheese covering it generously and sprinkled with oregano.

The dish size was misleading; at first it looked small, but it was so heavy I found myself barely able of finishing it.

Flan

Flan is a popular desert in Argentina. It resembles a yellow pudding, and is usually flavored with dulce de leche, a sweet prepared by boiling milk with sugar until a brown paste is obtained.

Here I found the vanilla and chocolate variations for about a dollar each; judging the chocolate won’t mix up well with the basic taste, I chose the vanilla. The pudding was of good quality but the vanilla was playing "seek and hide" with me.

Overall, despite having been unable to solve the name’s riddle, the experience was interesting and provided me with my annual cholesterol quota.

The enormous Government House in Tucuman occupies a big chunk around Plaza Independencia’s central square and seems to be out of place in such a backwater, sleepy town, unless something about Argentina’s far past is known.

During the 19th century and following their independence, Argentineans fought a civil war upon their country’s organization. Federalists wanted a federation of strong, autonomous provinces while centralists wanted all the political power to be concentrated in Buenos Aires. The later won and a new constitution was accepted in 1853. Nowadays Buenos Aires is the only significant metropolis in the whole country. Accordingly, provincial capitals were much stronger in the past, and Tucuman’s Government House is a good example of that.

Placed on the same location, the old Cabildo hosted the governor’s residence, the provincial court, and the police headquarters during colonial times and was thus the most important ruling structure in the province. Since the Argentinean independence was declared in the city of Tucuman, in 1816, the Cabildo and the other government structures in town had a special significance in local history.

Nevertheless, the Cabildo was destroyed and the new Government House was constructed upon it. Parts of the older building were used for the construction of the new one, although no thought was given to the preservation of the historical building that played such an important role in Argentine’s history.

The actual Government House was inaugurated in 1910, after having been constructed during two years, and thus was among the last structures defying – at least in a hinted, indirect fashion - the central government’s hegemony, despite having been built roughly half a century after the struggle was over.

The new building became the house of the local government, ministries and governor. Enjoying the riches of the developing sugar cane industry, the building was luxuriously constructed using various styles, mainly art nouveau with touches of French and Italian classicism; the result seems fit of a country’s government house. A central huge, swollen, black dome surrounded by two minor ones covers the structure and create a surrealistic view in Tucuman’s dusty central plaza. A double ramp leads to its impressive entrance and allows an excellent view of the Plaza Independencia and the main structures surrounding it.

Within are the sumptuous Salón Blanco, where official visitors are received in lush splendor, and Juan Bautista Alberdi’s tomb on the entrance floor. The last was an important political theorist who opposed Rosas’ dictatorship during the 19th century and lived in political exile. His body was returned to his native province in 1991.

Known as "El Jardín de la República" or the Republic’s Garden, Tucuman is better defined with the title of Northern Argentina’s Travel Hub. Since it was along the way connecting the silver mines of Potosi with the River Plate Basin, Tucuman was at an important crossroads location. Nowadays, its location at the very heart of Argentina’s north, assures it to be a must destination while traveling in the area.

Being near Salta - one of the most beautiful cities in Argentina - makes Tucuman a natural stop in the way there. Dedicating at least a couple of days to such a visit would add a significant historic experience to a trip in northern Argentina.

These are more than enough reasons to ensure the town has one of the best travel infrastructures in Argentina; including the Teniente Benjamín Matienzo International Airport, which was named in the best South American fashion after another military man. The airport is twelve kilometers away of downtown Tucuman and serves mainly daily flights to Cordoba and Buenos Aires.

However, the transport allowing the best views and encounters for a wandering pilgrim is the bus. Tucuman features one of the biggest bus terminals in Argentina; moreover, it is one of the newest, since it was inaugurated in 1994. Buses departing to and arriving from most of the country’s largest cities reach this station, which is located some six irregular blocks away from Tucuman’s central plaza.

The huge, boxy terminal features one of the best shopping malls in the city; Shopping del Jardin is a modern mall with several fashion and gadgets shops catering for the crowds crossing the terminal. The shops are open even during Sundays, when all the downtown competitors are closed; however, it is better to shop around in Buenos Aires where the options are wider and the quality better. The culinary side is faulty; if in need of a meal, there are some interesting options in the streets surrounding the terminal.

Traveling by bus in Argentina may be a bit confusing at first. Several companies serve each line; their prices and schedules may differ significantly. The best recommendation is to shop around before taking a decision. Big terminals in Argentina use nowadays computerized services which apparently did not make order out of the chaos. In my last visit to town, I arrived at the terminal on a Sunday morning. I was the only traveler and was happy to find a bus that suited my plans; however, while taking out the money needed to pay for it, the vendor told me that there was a change and that the only way to reach my next destination was through a long detour and delay.