More Buenos Aires

Attempting to visit the largest shopping mall in town, I found myself in a modified fruits and veggies market.

Location

Technically, the market occupies a big chunk of the Balvanera neighborhood; however using that name for reaching the area would be useless. Denizens don’t use this name but divide the area in three well-known – but not recognized officially – neighborhoods: Abasto, Congreso and Once. If arriving by taxi use the "Abasto" name; if arriving with the line "B" of the subway and leave it at the Carlos Gardel Station, the shopping mall is right next to the exit.

A Stylish Fruits Market

The Mercado de Abasto ("Providing Market") construction was approved by the Buenos Aires Municipality in 1889 due to the fast growth of the town’s population. It was to specialize in fruits and vegetables; the sell of meat was forbidden. In 1893 it was inaugurated, but the market was finished only in 1903. In 1928 it was expanded with a new section selling in small quantities for private persons and in 1933 it was connected with the line "B" of the subway. The last event allowed bringing merchandise directly from the railway station within especially dedicated cars.

After several expansions it was decided to reconstruct the market and in December 1931 the cornerstone of the actual structure was placed. The new market was inaugurated in 1934. It covered a whole block and featured several stories; the new expansion brought also a license to sell fish and meat as well.

Probably it is the only veggies market in the world built in Art Deco style. This was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939, which was based on an amalgam of many different styles and movements of the early 20th century. The style was elegant and functional, and was based on mathematical geometric shapes. One of the most famous constructions in this style is the Chrysler Building in New York. The Abasto Market awesome façade, featuring several massive arches of different sizes is the telling sign of the fact; Buenos Aires choice to build in this style its main market is - to say the least – curious.

Re-birth

In 1984 the market was finally closed and the structure fell in disuse. In 1996 the building was remodeled – carefully keeping the original Art Deco features – and in 1998 it was reopened as the Abasto Shopping, the biggest and one of the most attractive shopping malls in Argentina.

Visiting the building is a must while in Buenos Aires even if not planning to shop anything. The original market can still be imagined in the sumptuous interior. The large space seems ideal for the location of food stalls. Yet, it is luxurious enough for hosting a small palace.

The site is advertised as "Ciudad de Compras" ("Shopping City"); the title correctly depicts the experience of visiting this massive structure. There are spaces – mainly near the center of the structure – that allow seeing the full height of the building, an open space across the floors. The very high ceilings and shiny interior create a dizzying experience.

A Children Museum and the Neverland Park would help keeping children busy while the parents enjoy a quite meal or a serious shopping session. The statistics are staggering: 230 shops occupy the interior – most of them would be defined as large shops – and the central food court can host fifteen hundred customers at a time. These transform it into the largest shopping mall in the city.

The services provided include parking (free for the cinema customers), wheelchairs on loan, highchairs for children at the food court, first aid, payphones, money exchange, elevators and escalators. Calling 57776027, the free transportation service from the hotel can be requested; the service back operates from the customers desk until 7 PM. Foreigners get a 10% discount with a special card given at the customers’ desk or at the main hotels reception desk; VAT refund can be obtained for purchases over 70 ARP, help is provided at most shops and the customers desk. A large number of security personnel patrol the area, and I must add here they were obviously displeased by my taking pictures. Doing so inside is forbidden, but the temptation is unstoppable.

An exhaustive list of the shops would be beyond the scope of such an entry; at the information desk I learned there are more than forty categories of shops (from Amusement Park to Travel and Tourism, passing through ill-defined things as "stalls"). My impression was that most of the shops were local boutiques, occasionally including in their merchandise international brands. A significant exception was a large branch of Zara, an international Department Store. The four coffee shops did not include neither Bonafide nor Starbucks, the last being a newcomer to Buenos Aires. As with most Argentinean shopping malls and commercial areas, the clothes and shoes categories seem to be out of proportion, with large areas of the mall dedicated to these items. The cinema includes fourteen theatres showing all the last hits.

Overall, this site provides an awesome look not only at the contemporaneous way of life here, but also at urban development. Who would have thought back in 1903 that the fruits market would become one of the most luxurious shopping malls in town?

9 de Julio Avenue

Running from north to south across downtown Buenos Aires, the 9 de Julio Avenue is the widest in town and one of the widest in the world with an astonishing width of 140m. It was designed to cover a whole block and both avenues on its sides. In the north it begins next to the Illia Highway and the French Embassy, while in the south it connects with the 25 de Mayo Highway that leads to the Pistarini International Airport and the 9 de Julio Highway that leads to the popular beach resort of Mar del Plata.

It was named in honor of the date in which the Argentinean independence was declared, July 9, 1816. Planned in 1895, the works began in 1937; the southern parts were finished only in 1980 after thousand of denizens were evacuated and their homes demolished.

No traveler can avoid it while exploring Buenos Aires, since the avenue is one of the main arteries of the city. The line "C" of the "Subte" – the subway – runs along it and connects with the lines "A," "B," "D" and "E" that are roughly perpendicular to it. Thus reaching the avenue is not only easy, but almost unavoidable. An important navigational point to remember is that it is the only street that keeps its name on both sides of the Rivadavia Avenue.

Moreover, it hosts at least two main monuments of the city, the Teatro Colon and Obelisco, it crosses the Retiro (the main travel hub in the city, see dedicated entry in this journal), San Nicolás, Monserrat y Constitución neighborhoods and crosses the Santa Fe, Córdoba, Corrientes, de Mayo, Belgrano, Independencia, San Juan avenues, all of them important streets.

It takes so long to cross it – since the different lights are not synchronized – that the event provides a golden opportunity for taking pictures and enjoying the sights.

Obelisco

Located at the junction of 9 de Julio with Corrientes avenues, on what is known as the "Plaza de la República," the "Obelisco" is one of the most distinctive sights of the city. Its location amidst the widest avenue in the city contributes to the dramatic setup of the monument. Before its construction, a church dedicated to San Nicolas de Bari was on the site; there, the Argentinean flag was hoisted for the first time in Buenos Aires. Thus, the monument partially commemorates the Argentinean flag.

The obelisk rises to a height of 67.5m and a width of 6.8m at its base. It was constructed in 1936 with a white type of stone brought from Cordoba. The construction was very fast; it began on March of that year and was ended in May by a German construction company. At its bottom, is a little door that leads through 206 steps to the four windows near its top; sadly, this part is not open to visitors. The monument is covered with cement, what looks like the connection points of the building stones are actually simulated.

Each one of its faces commemorates a different event: the first foundation of Buenos Aires in 1536, the second foundation in 1580, the national flag created by Belgrano in Rosario and hoisted here in 1812 and the final election of Buenos Aires as the Argentinean capital in 1880.

Disliked by the people, there was an attempt to demolish it by the municipality in 1938; however, since it was defined as a national monument, the attempt was thwarted. Eventually, denizens got used to the phallic monument and during one of the International AIDS days it was even covered with a giant condom. In 2007 it was decorated with the German and Argentinean flags in commemoration of the bilateral relations; it being of German construction transformed it into a good symbol for that. It is often used as a place for political and sportive demonstrations and meetings.

Teatro Colon

Located on 9 de Julio Avenue near the Obelisco, the Colon Theatre is an imposing structure that defines much of the European ambience of downtown Buenos Aires. The actual structure is the second theater, the original one was in Plaza de Mayo. The cornerstone of the present building was laid down in 1889 and opened in May 25, 1908.

Featuring 2487 seats it is larger than the Royal Opera House in London, while its acoustics are considered to be among the best in the world. The structure is Italian in design (by the architect Tamburini) and French in decoration (by the Belgian Dormal). The list of composers and performers that visited the theatre is awesome. Among the composers are Igor Stravinsky and Richard Strauss, while the list of performers includes Plácido Domingo and many ballet stars, including Anna Pavlova, Nureyev, Baryshnikov and Plisetskaya. Until 2010 it is closed for restoration works.

As of lately, I have found myself in need to justify recurring visits to stylish shopping malls. I would like to state I’m not becoming spoiled; simply some shopping malls are more than their names imply. Their structures have some special value; they are somehow connected to the history and culture of the place. And I just had a cup of coffee in them.

Isn’t it wonderful to have such a good excuse for visiting those decadent, materialistic shrines? In any case, as a disguise, before entering them I put a button on my backpack stating that: "My Editor Sent Me." I never elaborate. Let them prove otherwise.

Galerías Pacífico is in San Nicolás, one of the neighborhoods in the heart of Buenos Aires, next to the Florida walking street. This magnificent structure was inaugurated in 1895 and is still – with no doubts – the most attractive and stylish shopping center in town. Originally, it was constructed by Au Bon Marché Argentina, but the chain couldn’t afford the place and moved to other locations. Soon, in 1896 the National Museum of Art was located there; then in 1908 the "Ferrocarril Buenos Aires al Pacífico" (Buenos Aires to the Pacific Railway) bought the place and the building began being called "Pacifico."

In 1945 the building – occupying a whole block in one of the most exclusive areas of downtown Buenos Aires – was re-modeled. The most impressive change was the addition of a 450 square meters dome that was covered with twelve panels of paintings by prestigious artists: Spilimbergo (painted the "Domain of Natural Forces"), Berni ("Love"), Castagnino ("Domestic Life"), Colmeiro ("The Human Couple") y Urruchúa ("Fraternity"). Even now these are considered to be the most important mural paintings in the city. As well, the commercial areas and the offices were then separated. Afterwards, the murals were restored twice, in 1971 and 1978; the last time was done under Berni’s direction.

After several economic crises and military dictatorships, the galleries were abandoned until they were declared a National Historic Monument in 1989. One year later they were re-opened as a shopping mall in 1990, when four additional murals by Macció, Robirosa, Roux and Alonso were added on the first floor. The Jorge Luis Borges Cultural Center and a dancing school also operate there.

The central dome and the eight-points glass star at its top are an awesome sight, seldom do shopping malls get such beauty treatments; the experience should be enjoyed and appreciated. The sumptuous interior is fit more of a palace than a shopping mall.

Shops

Despite the sumptuous surroundings, the merchandise is accommodated to the shaky economic situation of Argentina. The only international watches shop available here is Swatch. The two medium sized bookstores do not keep an English selection of books or magazines.

However, Argentinean vanity demands fashion shops and here we can find Lacoste, Yves Saint Laurent, Boss, La Toscana, Christian Dior and others. Among other similar shops, Tiffany and Swarovsky sell jewelry; Perugia and Navarro sell shoes and cacharel women’s clothes. An extensive listing would not fit the format of such an entry thus I’ll avoid it.

Coffee shops and restaurant abound. Yet, of special interest is the food plaza in the underground. Located under the central dome, it offers excellent views of the structure. The murals can almost be appreciated from the tables. Moreover, I have not seen a better concentration of typical Argentinean food, which can be tasted here in small portions, a dish at each stall.

Timing the Visit

The shopping mall is open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 AM to 9 PM, and Sundays from 12 PM to 9 PM.

Benefits for Travelers

By presenting the passport and a receipt for 70 ARP or more, there is a refund of 16% while leaving the country. The main information desk can provide more information, and most of the shops know the drill.

Twice daily are free guided visits in which the story of the building is told and the murals are explained. From Monday to Saturday the tours take place at 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM and on Sunday at 1 PM and 4:30 PM at the Central Dome.

Discount coupons are available for tourists at the main information desk of the ground floor or at the Tourist Information Center at the first floor. If planning a lengthy stay in town – or plenty of extensive shopping sessions - then a rewards card is available at the main information desk after showing a receipt for 50 ARP.

Retiro Neighborhood

Retiro is located south of the exclusive Recoleta neighborhood and north of San Nicolas and is with no doubt the main travel hub of Buenos Aires. Its name originates in a grand mansion that occupied what nowadays is the San Martin Park and that was called "The Retiro."

Between the two world wars this was the place where immigrants arrived, the historical "Hotel de Inmigrantes" (Immigrants Hotel) is now a museum of that era. The San Martin Park occupies a large area almost connecting the low parts of the neighborhood with downtown Buenos Aires; since it is on slanted ground, it allows excellent views of Retiro.

One of the most famous monuments in the area is in front of the railways terminal and resembles a miniature Big Ben. Accordingly it was called "Torre de los Ingleses" (Englishmen Tower); however, since the Falkland War the name has been formally changed to Torre Monumental (Monumental Tower). The San Martin Tower features also monument to the soldiers that died in that war and to the general that gave his name to the park.

Kavanagh Building

Located on 1065, Florida St, the Kavanagh Building is a ubiquitous sight in Retiro. It was inaugurated in 1936 as one of the first skyscrapers in Buenos Aires by Corina Kavanagh, who sold two of her ranches in order to finance the project. The 120 meters tower is in front of the San Martin Park and for a while was the tallest building in South America. It is built of several rectangles that decrease in size with height and is quite narrow; as a result it is very different from most modern skyscrapers. Corina Kavanagh lived in the 14th floor, the whole of it.

Retiro Subte Terminal

Retiro is accessible also by "subte," the subway railways of Buenos Aires. The Line "C" terminus station – this is the line running perpendicular to all others and roughly parallel to the main 9 de Julio Avenue – can be accessed directly from the Retiro Mitre Railways Terminal. Line "E" would be connected here in the future; the planned lines "G" and "H" would also begin from here.

Retiro Railways Terminal

By far the largest single structure in the area is the railways terminal; behind it is the infamous "Villa 31," one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city.

The terminal itself consists of three structures, each one home to a different company of railways: the proper names are Retiro Mitre, Retiro Belgrano, and Retiro San Martín; the second part of the name denotes the company served in that part of the terminal. Retiro Mitre – the most impressive structure in the complex - has been declared a national monument in 1997. The impressive structure features at least one coffee shop that should not be missed; the travelled is assured to feel like in Europe of the late 19th century while sipping his espresso.

Sadly, in 1993 all the passengers’ lines were cancelled, except with the short distance one to Tigre (from where boats cross the Uruguay River to Uruguay). Since 2003 the trains to Rosario have been renewed and since 2005 to Tucuman and Cordoba. Yet, no responsible traveler would trust such an option; it is better to check out once there if there are any available trains, if not, the Retiro Bus Terminal offers better services to wherever Argentinean trains go.

Retiro Bus Terminal

The largest bus terminal in Buenos Aires is located here, next to the railways terminal. More than forty metropolitan bus lines pass through it and it is connected practically with any city of importance in the country. Moreover, buses to Montevideo, Santiago de Chile, Asuncion del Paraguay, Porto Alegre and Sao Paulo also leave from here regularly. There is a fortnightly service to Bogota, Colombia.

The huge terminal doubles as a commercial center; even barbers can be found in the huge building. Having used it extensively, I am happy to report that there is no need to make reservations. I always found seats even to main locations like Mendoza, Rosario and Tucuman. Argentinean buses are modern, rather expensive and most of them offer basic meals and stops from time to time. Some of them – my favorite – even feature complimentary coffee all along the trip.

Retiro Buquebus Terminal

The side of the neighborhood facing the river features a port. That would be of little interest for the regular traveler if the Buquebus Terminal weren’t located there. Buquebus is the name of the fast boats service connecting Buenos Aires with Montevideo.

A direct trip costs well over a hundred American dollars, but the expense is justified; I found the trip comparable to the crossing of the Pearl River with Hoover Boats from Macau to Hong Kong. A way of lowering the expense is taking the Buquebus from Buenos Aires to Colonia. Colonia del Sacramento is one of the major touristic attractions in Uruguay – maybe even in South America – from there are frequent buses to Montevideo.

Puente de la Mujer

The first time I saw the bridge, I was unprepared for the sight. Enjoying it, I recognized Santiago Calatrava work without being told so; nobody else would have created a bridge with such a look. Later I found it was his first work in South America.

Calatrava is one of the most world wide renowned architects, with works that can be immediately recognized by their aesthetics and dynamic look; often they are dynamic. Seeing one of his works in real life is with no doubt one of the trip high points.

The "Bridge of the Woman" is located in "Dique 3" ("Dock 3") of Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires. Despite being near the port, this area has become one of the most exclusive areas of the city. The walking bridge was inaugurated in 2001 and was designed to connect Puerto Madero with downtown Buenos Aires. It can be easily reached by foot from the southern parts of the city or with a short taxi ride; many buses reach the area as well.

It has a length of 160 meters and a width of six and is one of the kinetic works of Calatrava, since it rotates by ninety degrees every time a ship needs to pass through the water canal it spans; its rotating mechanism around the central column is one of the largest in the world and completes its operation in less than two minutes. The slanted central column is the base for the cables holding the bridge. In design, it is similar to his Puente del Alamillo and Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay, but with a forward angled cantilever instead of a reverse one. Expectedly, it wasn’t constructed in Argentina, but in Spain.

Its shape interpretation needs a bit of imagination. The slanted mast represents a standing man holding a woman – the bridge – who is lying backwards in his arms in a typical tango dancing posture. Its design had received an international price in Amsterdam, 2008. This is definitely one of the most attractive spots in modern Buenos Aires.

Puerto Madero

This neighborhood is next to downtown Buenos Aires, the port and the river, facts that have transformed it into one of the most exclusive areas of the city.

Since the original port of Buenos Aires was too shallow for big ships, in 1882 the government selected Eduardo Madero’s project to build a new port. His project won the bid mainly due to its perceived modernity, because it featured an extravagant number of docks, dams and rotating bridges. It was built between 1882 and 1887. As often happens with extravaganzas, ten years later it became obsolete due to the larger size of the ships used by then. The "Puerto Nuevo" ("New Port") was then constructed and is active until now.

Following that event, the area became a huge landfill. Between 1925 and 1985, seven plans were proposed regarding its transformation, but all of them failed. In 1989 it was decided to transform it into an urban area and this time the initiative led to the creation of an exclusive residential area, which included extensive parks, many works of art and became a recognition area for women. Most of its streets and avenues bear names of prominent women and its main pedestrian connection with downtown is through the "Bridge of the Woman."

Other prominent structures are the Universidad Católica Argentina and the Universidad Austral universities, several residential towers and – as of early 2009 – three five stars hotels: Hilton, Faena and Sofitel. In an adjacent area, which was recovered from the river, is the Reserva Ecológica, a reserve of the original riverside wildlife.

Dancing in the Frigate


Next to the "Bridge of the Woman" is another main attraction of the neighborhood. As the former it is of kinetic nature. A British built frigate named "Fragata Presidente Sarmiento" has been turned into a museum and can be visited during the day.

The frigate entered the service of the Argentinean navy in 1897 and served international trips until 1939; in 1961 it was finally retired of service. Its length is of slightly more than 85m, the width just over 13m and its weight 2733 metric tones. It had two steam engines and a total of 33 sails between regular and supplementary ones. In its final role it was a school boat of the Argentinean navy; in 1962 it was declared a National Historic Monument.

Visiting it is an interesting complement to the Puerto Maderos tour, adding a dynamic touch to the port area. Not all of its interior can be visited, but the upper deck is completely open with many of the ship former weapons in display there. At the time of my visit I witnessed a dance class taking part on the main deck covered area; I couldn’t ask what was going on, but they may have been practicing for some time of television advertisement.