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Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires, Argentina

This neighborhood is developed of the conversion of the old dikes and docks that conformed the old port of Buenos Aires, toward a recreational activity, being constituted quickly, for its proximity to the center, in a very tourist place. The big buildings that composed the docks, of bricks, to the English style, they were demolished in a side of the dike and transformed in the side next to the city, being occupied by great quantity of restaurants, cinemas, offices and to an university, of the other side they were built a hotel, housings and also they are transforming other buildings, as deposits of cereals, at the same time that some modern buildings were added in places where before there were not constructions. In the dikes moorings were made for private crafts and spaces for some traditional and tourist military ships as the Corvette Uruguay and the Frigate Sarmiento. Although this conversion meant something very positive for the city, since these spaces were abandoned when being used as port the facilities of the New Port, it also had some negative aspects. For example, in spite of being had open a new walk public outdoors, most of the buildings were occupied by private projects generally dedicated to a very limited social class, of good revenues, without being reserved any space for public activities of the city, like it could be a cultural or sport center or a museum. Also, when not existing a marked politics of conservation of the historical patrimony of the city, the destruction of the same one was allowed in some cases.

Puerto Madero
Puerto Madero Skyline

History: In 1898 the port facilities are built according to the engineer's Madero project that competed with that of the engineer Huergo. Between 1900 and 1905 the docks is added, built by an English company, as storage places. Very little time later this port demonstrates its unpracticity and it is replaced by the New Port, behind of Retiro, with its open basins. In 1989, it commences with the transformation toward their new function.
 


City of Buenos Aires Map with Puerto
Madero
Neighborhood
in red
Click on the Image to enlarge

Puerto Madero main attractions:

  - Woman's Bridge
  - President Sarmiento Frigate Museum
  - Corbeta Uruguay Ship Museum
  - Puerto Madero Yacht Club
  - Nereidas Fountain
  - Natural Park and Ecological Reserve
  - Costanera Sur
  - Buenos Aires Casino
  - Juan Manuel Fangio Statue

Puerto Madero represents the latest architectural trend in Buenos Aires. It consists of old docks where the cargo brought by the ships was stored. The docks were restored during the 1990s with the idea of integrating the port to the city extending the downtown area.

This neighbourhood now flourish with modern and most expensive residential and business lofts and offices, sofisticated restaurants (some of which are rather upscale), bars, discoteques and cinemas while retaining the old English style architecture.
 

Juan Manuel Fangio Statue
Juan Manuel Fangio Statue

Two museum ships from Argentine Armada, the Corbeta Uruguay (built around 1877 in England) and the Fragata Sarmiento (this elegant former naval ship sailed around the world 40 times between 1899 and 1938) are parked at the docks. Declared a National Historic Monument, they are open to visitors. There is also an architecturally interesting footbridge Puente de la Mujer (Women's Bridge) and El Sueño de la Esfera (The Dream of the Sphere), first luminous sculpture installed in Buenos Aires. You can enjoy the promenade along the waterfront and take a break at one of the numerous outdoor cafes and restaurants.

Woman's Bridge: is a footbridge that spans dock 3. It is of the Cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge type and is also a swing bridge, but somewhat unique in is asymmetrical arrangement. It has a single mast with cables suspending a portion of the bridge which rotates 90 degrees in order to allow water traffic to pass. When it swings to allow watercraft passage the far end comes to a resting point on a stabilizing pylon. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava and is similar to his Puente del Alamillo and Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay, but with a forward, rather than a reverse angled cantilever, as is seen in those bridges. The footbridge was donated by Alberto L. González to the City of Buenos Aires in gratitude for 60 years of work in the country. Started in 1998, it was completed on December 20, 2001.

Eating in Puerto Madero: You will find the prices in Puerto Madero much higher than in the rest of the city-- you're paying for location. Sometimes they are worth the price, sometimes not. These restaurants have outside seating areas with excellent views of the dársenas, the Fragata Sarmiento and the old European-style warehouses.

President Sarmiento Frigate Museum: Argentinean Navy school ship, which arrived from England in the year 1898 and was named after Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, the founder of the Argentinean Naval Academy in 1872. The picturesque vessel was the school ship of the navy cadets and made 39 voyages around the world between 1899 and 1938. With a length of 85 metres and a beam of 13, with her wooden, iron and bronze structure, she stopped sailing in 1961 after over a million nautical miles at sea. Today it is a museum and has been declared a National Historic Monument.

 

 

 

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Puerto Madero 3D presentation

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