Location: San Nicolás
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The 6 Best Churches & Cathedrals in San Nicolás, Capital Federal District
The birthplace of the tango is, like the dance itself, captivating, seductive and bustling with excited energy. Atmospheric old neighborhoods are rife with romantic restaurants and thumping nightlife, and Buenos Aires' European heritage is evident in its architecture, boulevards and parks. Cafe Tortoni, the city's oldest bar, will transport you back to 1858, and the spectacular Teatro Colon impresses just as it did in 1908. Latin America's shopping capital offers the promise of premium retail therapy along its grand, wide boulevards.
Restaurants in Buenos Aires
1. Catedral Primada
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,255 reviews
This 1827 cathedral, a mixture of several architectural styles, houses the remains of Argentine Liberator General Jose de San Martin in a marble mausoleum.
Reviewed By 251wesleyc - Tucson, United States
AKA Catedral Metropolitano in some guidebooks. 8th Catholic Church to be built on this site -- consecrated in 1836. Greco-Roman style with 12 columns for the 12 apostles. The interior is much more impressive than the exterior (which looks more like a courthouse). Gorgeous main altar and multiple beautiful side chapels. Beautiful mosaic tile floors. Be sure to look for the masoleum holding the remains of General Jose de San Martin, the hero of Argentina's war for independence from Spain. A "must see" attraction located on the Plaza de Mayo near the Casa Rosada.
2. Basilica Nuestra Senora de la Merced
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 175 reviews
Reviewed By 311queenj - California, United States
This church is about a 5 minute walk from the Catedral Metropolitana in the Plaza de Mayo. While not as large as the Metropolitan Cathedral, Merced has more history and ornate artwork. We had to come back two different days because it was not open the first or second time we passed by. The Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy) is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patron saint of Spain. The original monastery was built in 1603 by the Mercedarian Friars of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, and was one of the oldest in Buenos Aires. The church contains the oldest historic archive of the city, dating back earlier than 1884. In 1733, construction of the Merced Basilica began on the old monastery grounds. In 1894, the church exterior was renovated in the neo-Renaissance style, and in 1905, the facade carving was added, depicting General Belgrano's 1812 victory against the Spanish in Tucuman during the war for independence. The church was declared a basilica by Pope Benedict XV in 1917, and the building was declared a National Historical Monument in 1942. The building features both Baroque and Rococo styles. The baroque golden grand altar and the frescoes are impressive, to say the least. Though many of the church artifacts were destroyed during the anti church riots of 1955, the church still contains many of the original furnishings, and decorative items, such as the wooden Cristo de la Humildad y Paciencia, that was carved from a single tree. The basilica has beautiful stained glass windows, incredible painted arched ceilings, and an impressive collection of sculptures and artwork. Gold-leaf paint and gilding gleam from the walls, ceiling, altars, arches, pillars, etc. The detail here is almost overwhelming. Be sure to stop in and check it out!
