Page 97 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

PLAZA SAN M AR TÍN AND RE TIRO  95

The interior of Galerías Pacífico topped by beautiful frescoes on its dome
4 Palacio Haedo 1889 by archi tects Francisco 6 Edificio
Seeber and Emilio Bunge as Kavanagh
Ave Santa Fe 690. City Map 3 E4.
Tel (011) 4311-0303.  Retiro, San a one-stop empo rium for the Calle Florida 1065. City Map 3 E3.
Martín. @ 61, 93, 99, 130, 152. city’s elite, it was reputedly  San Martín, Retiro. @ 93 & 152.
Open 9:30am–5:30pm Mon–Fri. inspired by the famous Paris
department store Le Bon This national landmark,
Built in 1880, this Neo-Gothic Marché. The building was later 394 ft (120 m) tall, was South
building was once the grand taken over by state railroad America’s tallest building
residence of the Haedos. They offices and became known when it was completed in
were one of the handful of as Edificio Pacífico, after the 1935, as well as the highest
porteño fami lies who amassed railroad line that ran through reinforced concrete building
great wealth in the late 19th Argentina to Chile and the in the world. Edificio Kavanagh
century, owing to the boom in Pacific Coast. In 1945, the was financed by the Irish
meat exports. The building has structure was substan tially heiress Corina Kavanagh,
since passed through various remodeled and a series who was from a wealthy
hands, but the current occu- of striking frescoes by ranching family, and who
pant, the Asociación de Parques Argentinian mura lists Berni, reputedly used up her entire
Nacionales, has been in Castagnino, Colmeiro, and inheritance in construc ting the
residence since 1942. The Urruchúa were added to the edifice. The imposing tower
ground floor is open to visitors, central cupola. features symmet ri cal setbacks
where leaflets on Argentina’s It was not until the early and gradual surface
natio nal parks are handed out. 1990s that the structure reduc tions, and the
The building also houses the was given an elegant style was hailed as
Biblioteca Francisco P. Moreno. makeover for its current one of the world’s
function as an upmarket best examples
shopping mall and of the marriage
5 Galerías Pacífico home of the Centro between Art Deco,
Cultural Borges arts moder nism, and
Calle Florida 753. City Map 3 E4.
Tel (011) 5555-5110.  Florida. center. Named after rationalism. With
@ 6, 93, 130, 152. Open 10am− the country’s most integra ted air
9pm Mon−Sat, noon−9pm Sun. famous literary condi tioning
8 11:30am & 4:30pm Mon−Fri. icon, this active and advanced
7 ∑ galeriaspacifico.com.ar institute holds plumbing,
Centro Cultural Borges: Open 10am– inter national the 105 apart-
9pm Mon–Sat, noon–9pm Sun. & painting and ments in this
7 ∑ ccborges.org.ar photographic tower repre-
exhibitions, sented the
Located on Florida, one of the along with art height of
city’s busiest pedestrianized auctions and technology
shopping streets, Galerías experimental and func-
Pacífico (see p124) is a hand- dance and The monolithic Edificio Kavanagh tionality in
some shopping mall. Built in music shows. on Plaza San Martín their day.

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