Parque Centenario
Encyclopedia
Parque Centenario is an extensive public park in the Caballito
district of Buenos Aires
, Argentina
.
urbanist Charles Thays, who completed the project in time for the 1910 centennial of the May Revolution
(hence the park's name, Centenario). Rerouting two streets, Thays created a circular green space anchored by fountain in the middle. The outer sections of the park were planned for residential development, though these plans were later rescinded.
The outermost lots were made available to a number of cultural and scientific institutions, notably the Louis Pasteur
Institute (opened in 1927), the Marie Curie
Oncological Institute (1931), the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum
, which relocated there from its original building in 1937, and the Argentine Friends of Astronomy Association, who opened their observatory at the park in 1942. President Juan Perón
had the central fountain replaced by an amphitheatre
in 1951, though the structure was lost to a fire in 1955. Mayor Osvaldo Cacciatore
had a shallow lake built over 2000 m² (21,000 ft²) of the central section of the park during the late 1970s, later populated with duck
s, swan
s and other waterfowl. The mile-long perimeter became a popular joggers' route
and a number of important public institutions had been opened along the park's surroundings, by then.
Parque Centenario increasingly suffered from neglect during the 1980s and in 1989, sculptor Luis Perlotti
's Fountain of the Irupé Flower suffered the theft of its iconic bronze female nude. Mayor Aníbal Ibarra
initiatied an ambitious restoration project for the park in 2005, resulting in the reconstruction of the amphitheatre, the refurbishment of the swan lake and the creation of a number of new facilities. The park's refurbishment was concluded in May 2009, and the new, 2,000 seat amphitheatre was inaugurated with a performance by the City Tango Orchestra. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2009/05/08/um/m-01913413.htm
Monografías: Parque Centenario
Caballito, Buenos Aires
Caballito is a barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It is the only barrio in the administrative division Comuna 6....
district of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Overview
Presiding over a rapidly expanding city, the Buenos Aires City Council in 1908 approved the purchase of a 10 hectare (25 acre) plot belonging to Parmenio Piñero, a local brickmaker, for the purpose of a creating a "Westside Park" (the area was near Buenos Aires' western limits at the time). The project was entrusted to the City Parks Administrator, the renowned French ArgentineFrench Argentine
A French Argentine is an Argentine citizen of full or partial French ancestry. French Argentines form the third or fourth largest ancestry group after Italian Argentines, Spanish Argentines, and perhaps German Argentines...
urbanist Charles Thays, who completed the project in time for the 1910 centennial of the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
(hence the park's name, Centenario). Rerouting two streets, Thays created a circular green space anchored by fountain in the middle. The outer sections of the park were planned for residential development, though these plans were later rescinded.
The outermost lots were made available to a number of cultural and scientific institutions, notably the Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur was a French chemist and microbiologist born in Dole. He is remembered for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and preventions of diseases. His discoveries reduced mortality from puerperal fever, and he created the first vaccine for rabies and anthrax. His experiments...
Institute (opened in 1927), the Marie Curie
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
Oncological Institute (1931), the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum
Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum
The Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum is a public museum located in the Caballito section of Buenos Aires, Argentina.-History and overview:...
, which relocated there from its original building in 1937, and the Argentine Friends of Astronomy Association, who opened their observatory at the park in 1942. President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
had the central fountain replaced by an amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
in 1951, though the structure was lost to a fire in 1955. Mayor Osvaldo Cacciatore
Osvaldo Cacciatore
Osvaldo Cacciatore was an Argentine Air Force officer and former de facto Mayor of Buenos Aires during the National Reorganization Process military dictatorship.-Early life:Osvaldo Andrés Cacciatore was born in Buenos Aires in 1924...
had a shallow lake built over 2000 m² (21,000 ft²) of the central section of the park during the late 1970s, later populated with duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s and other waterfowl. The mile-long perimeter became a popular joggers' route
Jogging
Jogging is a form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main intention is to increase fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running.-Definition:...
and a number of important public institutions had been opened along the park's surroundings, by then.
Parque Centenario increasingly suffered from neglect during the 1980s and in 1989, sculptor Luis Perlotti
Luis Perlotti
-Life and work:Perlotti was born into a family of Italian immigrant workers. His father, a shoe cobbler, died in 1899, and young Luis Perlotti was compelled to find work. He was employed at the Rigolleau glass factory, and later at a cabinet maker, where he developed skills in polishing and shaping...
's Fountain of the Irupé Flower suffered the theft of its iconic bronze female nude. Mayor Aníbal Ibarra
Aníbal Ibarra
Aníbal Ibarra is an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as mayor of Buenos Aires from 2000 to 2006.-Biography:Ibarra was born in Lomas de Zamora, a district located in the southern region of Greater Buenos Aires. His father was a Paraguayan member of the PLRA who left his country during the...
initiatied an ambitious restoration project for the park in 2005, resulting in the reconstruction of the amphitheatre, the refurbishment of the swan lake and the creation of a number of new facilities. The park's refurbishment was concluded in May 2009, and the new, 2,000 seat amphitheatre was inaugurated with a performance by the City Tango Orchestra. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2009/05/08/um/m-01913413.htm
Monografías: Parque Centenario