History of La Casa Rosada

                La Casa Rosada [“The Pink House”], located in front of the historic Plaza de Mayo, is the seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina and one of the most emblematic buildings of Buenos Aires. It underwent many changes before assuming its present form. In fact, three architects took part in the construction during the 19^th century: the Swedish Carl Kihlberg built the Central Post Office, Henrik Åberg (Swedish as well) refurbished the old State House, and the Italian Francesco Tamburini (also the author of the first project for the Colón Theater) in 1884 joined the two neighboring buildings and designed the great central archway on Balcarce Street.  

            The pink colour of the walls has it origin in the 19^th century custom of mixing the whitewash paint with hog’s or bull’s blood because their fixative properties. 

THE OLD STATE HOUSE AND THE CENTRAL POST OFFICE BUILDING 

(TAKEN FROM THE PRESENT CORNER OF RIVADAVIA AND 25 DE MAYO. CIRCA 1880)

THE NEW STATE HOUSE (WITH THE REFURBISHMENT OF HENRIK ÅBERG) 

AND THE CENTRAL POST OFFICE BUILDING BEFORE TAMBURINI’S WORK

TAMBURINI’S ARCHWAY (DETAIL) 

THE PRESENT CASA ROSADA

The origin of the word TANGO

Although the origin of the word “tango” is still a matter of discussion, the most accepted hypothesis indicates that it has its roots in the African languages of the enslaved people of Angola, Congo and Sudan brought to South America between the 16^th and the 18^th century, during the Colonial Period. At first, “tangó” designated the place where the African natives were imprisoned before they were shipped to their destination; later the term came to refer to the places where black people gathered to sing and dance in their exile. By extension, “tangó” would have become the word to designate the popular music played in brothels and taverns, environment where tango, as a specific music and dance genre, would be born at the end of the 19^th century.

            These words with an African origin (“tango”, “milonga”, “canyengue”) remind the legacy of one of the roots that shaped the popular culture of Buenos Aires. 

SOUTH AMERICAN BLACK PEOPLE
DANCING AND SINGING