The Congress of the Argentine Nation

        The building of the Congress of the Argentine Nation is located in Buenos Aires, at the western end of Avenida de Mayo. Its main entrance faces towards the front of Casa Rosada (which is twelve blocks away, at the Eastern end of the same avenue), as a metaphor for the complementary nature of the legislative and the executive branch. 

        In 1896 the construction was awarded to the Italian architect Vittorio Meano, who was also the second constructor of the Colón Theater. After Meano’s death in 1904, the construction was assigned to the Belgian Jules Dormal Godet, who respected Meano’s original proyect.

Inaugurated in 1906, important details of the building were not completed until 1946; therefore, when something took longer than expected, porteños used to say “it takes longer than the congress construction”.

The Kilometre Zero for all Argentine National Highways is marked on a milestone at La Plaza del Congreso, in front of the building. 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION (CIRCA 1905)

1910 - TAKEN FROM THE CORNER OF HIPÓLITO YRIGOYEN AND AV. ENTRE RÍOS

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

El Obelisco

           One of the greatest icons of the city, El Obelisco was designed by the architect Alberto Prebisch and it was built (in only 31 days!) to commemorate the fourth centenary of the first foundation of Buenos Aires (1536). It is located where the Argentinian flag was raised for the first time in the city. 

Here four photos of its construction and opening in 1936.