Recoleta, Buenos Aires
Recoleta is a district in the north of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. The district is one of the finest and most expensive residential and commercial districts of the capital. La Recoleta is located north of the Micro Centros, between the neighborhoods of Retiro and Palermo at the Río de la Plata.
Description
Recoleta has 188 780 inhabitants in an area of 5.4 km ² (as of 2001), which means a population density of 34 959 inhabitants per km ². Compared to the average population density of just over 13,000 inhabitants / km ² Recoleta, far above the average. Between 1991 and 2001, the population declined by about 5 percent. Together with the district of Recoleta Retiro is also known as Barrio Norte.
The name of Recoleta comes from the Franciscan Order " Convento de Recoletos Descalzos ", the beginning of the 18th century, built the church of Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Recoleta Plazoleta and a cemetery. The construction of the parish church was completed in 1732 and formed the historic center of the neighborhood on the slope to the Río de la Plata. After the church was called the district now also " El Pilar ", but later " Recolet ".
Although Recoleta currently less than five minutes from the center of Buenos Aires is removed, so this place was the mid-19th century for the inhabitants of relatively remote. As in 1870 in Buenos Aires raging cholera and yellow fever epidemics, the population fled to the surrounding villages, to protect themselves against infection. While the poor layer newly settled rather in the south and south-east, came to Recoleta especially the upper class, as the hill of Recoleta reduced the presence of mosquitoes and thus the risk of infection was lower than in the lowlands.
These families built in Recoleta large villas in the French style, and so helped to Recoletas nickname, " the Paris of America." The neighborhood was built primarily to the time when Argentina was one of the richest countries in the world. In the 1950s and 60s, many of the former ruling houses were destroyed in the riots, therefore, exist today in Recoleta elegant modern building next to the traditional mansions of the time. Some very nice old villas can be visited along the Avenida Alvear. In Recoleta is also found in France, Brazil and Russia the messages. Despite the high population density Recoleta is a very green neighborhood with several parks.
Among the most important streets in Recoleta include the Avenida Quintana, the Avenida Las Heras, the Avenida Alvear, the Avenida Callao and Avenida Figueroa Alcorta the.
Attractions
Among the main sights of Recoleta is one of the Recoleta Cemetery. In addition to the final resting places of other prominent Argentines here is the grave of Evita Peron.
Recoleta has several museums: the National Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Latin American Art ( MALBA ) and the Museo Evita, which deals with the myth of Eva Perón.
Another attraction is the aforementioned church of Nuestra Señora de Pilar. It was created in 1732 by the architect Giovanni Andrea Bianchi, has a simple colonial facade and is preserved in its original state.
The Floralis Genérica represents a huge metal flower; they can be found in the Parque Thays. This oversized flower opens at sunrise and closes at sunset, at night it lights up. Established the twenty meter high artwork by architect Eduardo Catalano.
Furthermore, are worth seeing: the National Library, the Alvear Avenue, with luxury shops and houses in the Belle Epoque style, the Palais de Glace, where even Carlos Gardel occurred, the Centro Cultural Recoleta, the Hotel Alvear Palace and the Palacio Pizzurno, also called Palacio Sarmiento, which was declared a Historic Monument in 2006.
Personalities
- In Recoleta, the writer Adolfo Bioy Casares couple and Silvina Ocampo lived.
- Jorge Luis Borges lived during the Avenida Quintana and was a long time director of the National Library.