San Nicholas (Buenos Aires)

The boundaries of the district are the streets: Avenida Cordoba , Avenida Eduardo Madero , La Rabida , Avenida Rivadavia and Avenida Callao. It is bordered by Recoleta and Retiro in the northeast, Puerto Madero and Montserrat in the south and in the west by the Balvanera district.

The name of the district has its own history. At the end of the eighteenth century, the church of St. Nicholas was built. The church was located in the western sector of the area, east of the modern Prospectus on July 9th . This was the official basis for that in 1972, the district received the name of Saint Nicholas - San Nicolas.

St. Nicholas is the patron saint of the old part of the city located around the May Square , founded in 1580 by Juan de Garay, where the first houses were built. The history of the old part of the city has more than four centuries.

Juan de Garay founded Buenos Aires in 1580, he developed a street plan for the future settlement. He divided this territory among the members of his expedition. On the site of the house de Garay, now the headquarters of the National Bank. Shortly after the death of the founder of the city, the residence of the governor was built.

In the western part of the city, the Church of the Holy Trinity was built, which later turned into a real cathedral. The church building was rebuilt many times, the modern building was built in 1823. In 1604, the building of the Church of Our Lady (Basílica de la Merced) was erected, this building was also rebuilt and the last time was in 1779 (changes were made to the facade of the building).

In the area of ​​San Nicolas, descendants of the city’s founders traditionally live. In the second half of the 19th century, many immigrants from the British Isles settled in the area, which was reflected in the architecture of buildings, culture and way of life of the population. In 1801, San Martín Square became the first paved in the city, with a bullring located on it. Years later, the square has become one of the city’s cultural centers, and since 1969, it has been one of two pedestrian zones in the city.

In 1780, the Vice-King issued a decree on the development of the coast of Rio de la Plata, with the aim of creating a Paseo de la Alameda, expanded in 1846 by Juan Manuel de Rosas. Paseo de Julio was transformed in 1887 into a new area of Puerto Madero . In 1919, the former river street (coming from the coast) was renamed to Avenida Leandro N. Alem , it divides the districts of San Nicolas and Puerto Madero.

In 1857, the building of the Theater Colon was built in the area, the house of Juan de Garay was once located not far from this place. Its first building was transformed in 1891 into the headquarters of the National Bank (Banco Nación). At that time, it became necessary to build a new theater, and according to the design of the architect Francesco Tambourini, it was built (opened in 1908). The new theater has received international recognition for its unique acoustics, and is the most famous theater in Argentina.

In 1937, the district of San Nicolas was physically divided when a new street opened on July 9, between Calle Cerrito and Carlos Pellegrini. This avenue is considered by locals to be the widest in the world. At the corner of this new avenue and Corrientes Street, where the old church of St. Nicholas used to be, was built the Obelisk , which was perhaps the most famous place in Buenos Aires, designed by the architect Alberto Prebisch, a follower of the emerging trend in architecture - Movimiento Moderno.

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  This area belongs to the financial district of the city.

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  Avenida Saenz Peña , known as Diagonal Norte, going through May Square and Republic Square, towards the Obelisk.

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  Obelisk , located on the avenue of July 9 , in the center of the district of San Nicolas.

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  Theater " Colon ", one of the centers of culture of the city.