Belgrano`s Neighborhood

 

When you think about Belgrano, is inevitable to associate it with River, Cabildo avenue and Juramento avenue, Ciudad Universitaria (University city), Hipódromo (Racecourse),  Barrancas (Gullies) or Barrio Chino (Chinatown). 

 

The neighborhood gathers all the conditions to be one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. Since the great density of gallery, shops and coffee stores to those quiet, scented blocks and with imposing big houses. 

 

On November 23th of 1855 the government of Buenos Aires arranged the foundation of the town, in a zone that belonged to Juan Manuel de Rosas.  The place was called “La Calera” but on December 6^th of that year it was recalled “Belgrano”.

Its limits: La Pampa street, Figueroa Alcorta avenue, Valentín Alsina street, Cabildo avenue, Virrey del Pino street, Los Incas avenue, Forest avenue, Doctor Rómulo S. Naón street, Monroe avenue, Del Tejar street, Franklin D. Roosvelt street, Zapiola street, Congreso avenue, Del Libertador avenue, Guillermo Udaondo street, Intendente Cantilo street. 

 

Its name belongs to our flag creator: Manuel Belgrano, but nowadays that personality is named when is told about the extensive neighborhood that is divided into three: Low Belgrano, River Neighborhood and Gullies Neighborhood.

Gullies

By the Belgrano gullies

The two lovers, hand by hand. 

They sworn in ardent shadows

The two lovers, by the slope

Of Juramento, sworn in

The two lovers in love. 

City, I love you. City, you love me,

in love sing the branches

(Rafael Alberti)

It is known as Barrancas(Gullies) because of being divided into 3 paths. In these lands deposits of limestone existed, that the City Hall converted in a walk in 1871 afterwards. 

 

In this zone we find the fountain created by José Arduino in Sucre street, where a base is seen (as a dish) where a lion and fish adorn the landscape. 

We can continue strolling and see the Bower Antonio Malvagni, in homage to the Buenos Aires Municipal Band director. 

 

Other important monuments: the bust to Manuel Belgrano (1899) of Luis Furitana, the replic to the statue of the Liberty of Frederick Auguste Bartholdi, the monument to the marshal Antonio José Sucre of Carmel Tabacco. 

 

We can also find the Valentín Alsina´s house (1802-1869), actual museum Libero Badín. 

 

The “Tranguaicito” and the Racecourse

 

Being initiated the century and with the process of electrification the Neighborhood accompanied the light arrival, receiving the “trolley”, also called “Cockroaches” or “Kindergartens”. 

 

The trolley arrived from England on August 30^th of 1900 and traveled through Plaza de Mayo with destiny to the neighborhood. 

 

Familiarity it was called the “Tranguaicito”, something so familiar of Belgrano as the church bell tower and the Ombú. This was an special service, because was strictly local: was a horse trolley that traveled from Juramento avenue and Vidal street to the Low Belgrano railway station. It was of great importance to the city because it was the last service of trolley in which was utilized an alive creature as force motorboat. 

 

The tranguaicito stopped lending services on November of 1915. 

By the neighborhood passes the railroad Mitre and the Belgrano C station, it is found currently, in Virrey Vértiz street, between Juramento avenue and Echeverría street, there you can find several omnibus terminals, built in 1862 and 1878. 

 

In the Manuel Belgrano park (Juramento Avenue, between Cuba street, Echeverría street and Vuelta de Obligado street), the Monument to Belgrano is placed, built by the sculptor Hector Rocha.  In it you can stroll and enjoy the sculpture “The Three Graciousness” and the weekend craft fair. Here it is found the “Immaculate Concepcion” Church of 1878. 

 

The Spanish Art Museum “Enrique Larreta”, is an important building to visit, where we can find the typical Spanish house and a little of our ancestors. There also functions the library “Alfonso El Sabio” that counts on many copies dedicate to the literature and the Spanish art.

 

Also we can find the Museum “House of Yrurtia” with sculptures, paintings and furniture of the family. 

The racecourse White: The horseback riding in the Belgrano old town was promoted by all the population. 

 

Towards 1875 existed an equine competence that was raced in the “Careers Circus”, to then be organized in the National Racecourse (1887). 

 

The White racecourse was located in the Belgrano´s high, bordering with San Martin and neighbor to a famous pulpería: “The Figures”. It contained a sixteen blocks trail and twenty-six meters of wide. The racecourse was devastated by a great storm in the year 1866, that destroyed the trail and the tribune. 

 

We should remember one of the Principal racehorses coaches of the neighborhood: “Eliseo Esviza” and its horses “Moro”, “Milonga”, “Galletero”, “Pinzón”, among others.

 

 

River

Although sometimes it is thought that it is situated in Núñez, the soccer team River Plate is in Belgrano. 

 

The River neighborhood is located near the great stadium where there are beautiful residential type chalets, and several oblique small streets. 

 

We are talking about the buildings that are located near the Lidoro Quinteros Avenue, where the National Racecourse functioned towards the 1800 and at the beginning of the 1900. 

 

The River Plate athletic club “The Monumental” was founded in 1901 in La Boca, to then go to Recoleta and finally to be installed in Belgrano.

 

 

Martin Fierro

 

The neighborhood newspaper “La Prensa de Belgrano” concluded in 1874 that the important author of the “Martin Fierro”, José Hernández, lived and died in Belgrano. 

 

The first residence of José Hernández was located in Juramento and Ciudad de la Paz, then the family moved to return in 1884 when signs of his illness appeared, to disappear physically on October 21th of the same year. 

 

In 1931 it was tried to place the statue in homage to the poet in Elcano street, José Hernández street and Vidal street, but this project was not summarized. 

 

The whole neighborhood (so much of Cabildo avenue toward the east as toward the West) always conserved something of its beautiful gardens, of its yards and its streets. 

 

It is because of this that so many were inspired in their big houses that did of their roof tiles….tango…

Catulo Castillo

Francisco Garcia Jiménez

Alejandro Dolina