Two British cannonballs remain embedded in the left-hand tower of the church today. They are relics from eighteen oh seven, when British troops occupied the convent during their second invasion of Buenos Aires. Monks and local soldiers…
San Telmo Cobblestones and Antiques
Walk the historic cobblestone streets of Buenos Aires's oldest neighborhood to experience its bohemian market culture, colonial-era architecture, and timeless tango spirit. This route guides you past leafy plazas, hidden tunnels, and vibrant antique stalls from the city’s early founding days down to Parque Lezama.
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1. Convento Santo Domingo - Basílica Nuestra Señora del Rosario de la Defensa y Reconquista de Buenos Aires
2. Estatua de Mafalda
The bronze statue of Mafalda sits on a wooden bench at the corner of Chile and Defensa streets. She wears her signature dress and a bow in her hair, watching the traffic with a serious expression. Cartoonist Quino created the character in…
3. El Zanjón de Granados
A narrow, unassuming brick townhouse sits on Defensa Street with a quiet facade that hides a complex underground maze. El Zanjón de Granados rests directly above the original path of the Tercero del Sur stream, a waterway that dictated the…
4. Casa Mínima
The house measures just two meters and twenty centimeters across, making it the narrowest building in Buenos Aires. Its facade features a plain white wall, a small wrought iron balcony, and a single wooden door. Legend claims a freed slave…
5. Mercado San Telmo
The iron and glass roof of the Mercado San Telmo rises above the street, supported by heavy, riveted metal beams that hold a massive, skylit canopy. Juan Antonio Buschiazzo designed the building in eighteen ninety-seven to feed a…
6. Plaza Dorrego
Plaza Dorrego features a rectangular expanse of uneven cobblestones bordered by heavy iron streetlamps. This spot serves as the historic heart of San Telmo, functioning as the city’s second-oldest public square. In the late eighteen…
7. Pasaje Defensa (Casa Ezeiza)
The three story facade of Casa Ezeiza features a high, arched entryway that leads directly into a long, narrow internal courtyard. Built in the eighteen seventies as a grand residence for the Ezeiza family, the structure eventually became…
8. Parque Lezama
The iron fountain in the center of Parque Lezama features a sculpture of Neptune surrounded by sea nymphs and dolphins. This park sits on a steep barranca, or cliff, that once marked the shoreline of the Rio de la Plata before the city…