Page 98 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Argentina

96  BUENOS AIRES AREA B Y AREA

7 Torre between the 1900s and the late
Monumental 1940s, when Perón nationalized
the British-run rail system at
Ave del Libertador 49. City Map 3 E3.
Tel (011) 4311-0186.  Retiro. @ great cost to the state.
130, 93, 109, 140, 28, 106, 129, 152. Now, a large map near the
Open noon–6pm Mon–Fri. entrance of the station shows
∑ buenosaires.gob.ar/torre Argentina’s once-extensive
monumental but now much-depleted rail
network. The station serves as
Presented to the nation as part a terminal for short-distance
of the centennial cele brations trains from Buenos Aires
of the Revolución de Mayo in province, including the popular
1810 (see p55) by the Anglo- line to the delta town of Tigre
Argentinian commu nity, Torre (see pp120–21). Next to the
de los Ingleses (Tower of the Retiro station is the city’s large
English) was not inaugu rated and bustling main bus terminal.
until 1916. Although the offi-
cial name was changed to Grand main hall of Retiro Mitre on Avenida
Torre Monumental in the wake Ramos Mejía 9 Museo Municipal
of the 1982 conflict (see p60), de Arte
the local residents still know 8 Estación Retiro Hispanoamericano
the tower by its original name. Ave Ramos Mejía 1550. City Map 3 E3.
The clock tower was British- Tel (011) 4310-0700.  Retiro. Isaac Fernández
designed and nearly all the @ 130, 106, 108, 129, 152, 93. Blanco
building material was brought
over from England. Built in Standing beside each other on Calle Suipacha 1422. City Map 3 D3.
Palladian style, the tower has Avenida Ramos Mejía, three Tel (011) 4327-0228.  Retiro,
ornate reliefs of the British and busy railway terminals, Retiro General San Martín. @ 59, 61, 93.
Open 1–7pm Tue–Fri, 11am–7pm Sat,
Argentinian coats of arms Mitre, Retiro Belgrano, and Sun & hols. & 8 4pm Sat & Sun (in
above its main entrance. Retiro San Martín make up the Spanish), call for English tour.
Ascending the tower, the Estación Retiro complex. Of ∑ buenosaires.gob.ar/
clock’s pendulum stands at the three, the British-designed museofernandezblanco
128 ft (39 m) and has five Retiro Mitre is the biggest
bronze bells. Similar to the and most archi tectur ally Located in a gorgeous
clock in Westminster Abbey significant. At the time of 1922 Baroque
in London, the tower its con struct ion, it was one mansion known
clock also chimes on the of the largest stations in as Palacio Noel
quarter-hour. On the tip the world. It opened in after its architect
of the clock tower is 1915 and is reminiscent Martín Noel, this
the weather cock, of grand old European museum houses a
which is in the form of stations with a French- significant collec tion
an Elizabethan sailing style cupola and an of Spanish American
ship. The balcony offers English framework. art, silverware, furni-
splendid views of the A plaque on the steel ture, and religious
surrounding area, structure reads “Francis artifacts dating from
including the park in Morton & Co. Ltd., the colonial period Jesuit statue
which the clock tower Liverpool.” The central to the era of Inde- exhibit
stands. The building is hall is an impressive pendence. The
now used as a tourist space and contains a museum first opened to the
office providing infor- distinctive light-green public in 1910 in the home
mation on the muse- circular ticket area. of Isaac Fernández Blanco, a
ums in Buenos Aires. Retiro station used to wealthy aristocrat. Opened with
The gazebo, however, is be the main terminal for Blanco’s personal collection of art
closed to the public for services to Córdoba and and artifacts, it was the first such
safety reasons. the Andean Northwest private museum in Argentina.
When Fernández Blanco and his
family moved out in 1921, he
gave over his mansion comple-
tely to the museum, and
donated it to the city. Until his
death in 1928, he continued to
buy and donate objects to the
collection. In 1947, the museum’s
The distinctive brickwork of the Torre Monumental collection was moved to its
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp278–9 and p289

096-097_EW_Argentina.indd 96 05/08/16 10:40 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm