Buenos Aires is the capital and the largest city of Argentina. It is a multicultural city that is home to multiple ethnic and religious groups. It has been a major recipient of millions of immigrants from all over the world, making it a melting pot where several ethnic groups live together. Buenos Aires is considered one of the most diverse cities of the Americas. It is also the first or second most visited city in South America.
Botanic Garden
Buenos Aires has a very interesting botanic garden, declared a national monument, includes more than 5,000 species unique to Southern hemisphere. It includes five greenhouses, many sculptures and monuments. It has several distinct gardens, one of which is Roman Garden, which has a statue of Mercury, a god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, communication, divination, etc. Saturnalia statue represents the Roman agricultural god, Saturn. Interestingly, Saturnalia represents a Roman pagan festival in mid December, which was also the source of many of the traditions that are now associated with Christmas celebrations. Another interesting garden is the Argentinean Indigenous Americas garden which includes many samples of flora from countryside of Argentina.
Japanese Garden
There is a small (about 65,000) ethnic Japanese population around Buenos Aires, some of which migrated through Brazil, which has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan (about 2 million). The Japanese Argentine Cultural Foundation established the largest Japanese garden of its type in the world, outside of Japan, starting in 1967. It is about 5 acres size (about 2 hectares), with lakes full of carp (koi), bridges, statues, stone lanterns, and a Japanese Peace Bell. It includes a Japanese Buddhist temple, a greenhouse with Bonsai trees, and a Japanese restaurant. The garden presents an environment full of tranquility and harmony.
Argentine’s green domed National Congress building, modeled on the Capitol Building Washington DC, was completed in 1906.
The plaza in front of the Congress (Plaza del Congreso) is a nice oasis in this busy city, with lovely statues / sculptures especially the fountain statue in the center. It also includes a bronze replica of Rodin’s Thinker.
Buenos Aires has some of the most beautiful shopping centers. Especially Galarias Pacifico is the most picturesque and most popular with tourists. Most people visit just to see its architecture and its done which is painted with murals with several Argentine artists. It was built back in 1988, used as Museo de Bellas Artes until 1940, recently converted to shopping center but declared as national historic monument.
