Buenos Aires’ Avenida 9 de Julio, one of the widest avenues in the world



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City Mayors reports news from towns and cities around the world. Worldwide | Elections | North America | Latin America | Europe | Asia | Africa |


City Mayors ranks the world’s largest, best as well as richest cities and urban areas. It also ranks the cities in individual countries, and provides a list of the capital cities of some 200 sovereign countries. More


City Mayors profiles city leaders from around the world. More


City Mayors describes the history, architecture and politics of the greatest city halls in the world. More


Mayors from The Americas, Europe. Asia, Australia and Africa compete for the World Mayor Award. More


Use
Mayor Monitor to rate the performance of mayors from across the world More


In your opinion: Praise Criticise. Write


City Mayors reports political events, analyses the issues and depicts the main players. More


City Mayors describes and explains the structures and workings of local government in Europe, The Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa. More


City Mayors deals with economic and investment issues affecting towns and cities. More


City Mayors describes and explains financial issues affecting local government. More


City Mayors reports urban environmental developments and examines the challenges faced by cities worldwide. More


City Mayors reports on and discusses urban development issues in developed and developing countries. More


City Mayors reports on developments in urban society and behaviour and reviews relevant research. More


City Mayors invites readers to write about the people in their cities. More


City Mayors examines city brands and marketing. More


City Mayors lists and features urban events, conferences and conventions aimed at urban decision makers and those with an interst in cities worldwide. More



City Mayors deals with urban transport issues in developed and developing countries and features the world’s greatest metro systems. More


City Mayors examines education issues and policies affecting children and adults in urban areas. More


City Mayors investigates health issues affecting urban areas with an emphasis on health in cities in developing countries. More


City Mayors reports on how business developments impact on cities and examines cooperation between cities and the private sector. More


City Mayors examines the contributions history and culture make to urban society and environment. More


City Mayors examines the importance of urban tourism to city economies. More


City Mayors questions those who govern the world’s cities and talks to men and women who contribute to urban society and environment. More


City Mayors profiles national and international organisations representing cities as well as those dealing with urban issues. More


City Mayors reports on major national and international sporting events and their impact on cities. More


City Mayors lists cities and city organisations, profiles individual mayors and provides information on hundreds of urban events. More


Buenos Aires City Hall - dating
back to Spanish colonial times

By Gregor Gosciniak and Theodor Berghausen

13 December 2007: Buenos Aires’ historic city hall, dating back to Spanish colonial times, is known as ‘El Cabildo’ – Spanish for ‘the city council’. In 1608 the then Mayor Manuel de Frías proposed the building of the Cabildo in Plaza de Mayo since the city government lacked such a building. The construction of City Hall was financed with tax money made by the port of Buenos Aires and was finished in 1610 but was soon found to be too small and had to be expanded.

The members of the Cabildo, elected by the citizens of Buenos Aires, assembled every week in this building. In 1682, due to lack of maintenance, the building was almost in ruins, and the construction of a new Cabildo with two stories and eleven arches was planned. Construction of the new building did not start until July 1725, but was suspended in 1728 and then restarted in 1731.

However, soon after construction was again suspended due to lack of funds. The tower of the new Cabildo was finished in 1764, yet even at the time of the May Revolution in 1810, the Cabildo was still not completely finished. Nevertheless in the Cabildo´s parlours the Revolution was conspired.

The Cabildo was then used as a prison, a situation that lasted until a real prison was constructed elsewhere in the city. In 1880, architect Pedro Benoit raised the tower by 10 meters with a dome covered with glazed tiles, instead of the traditional colonial red tiles. The tower was demolished nine years later in 1889 to create space for the Avenida de Mayo avenue and the three northernmost arches of the original eleven arches were demolished.

In 1931, to create room for the Julio A. Roca Avenue, the three southern-most arcs were removed, thereby restoring the central place of the tower, but leaving only five of the original arches. In 1940, architect Mario Buschiazzo reconstructed the colonial features of the Cabildo using various original documents. The tower, the red tiles, the iron bars on the windows and the wooden windows and doors were all repaired.

Currently, the Cabildo hosts the National Museum of the Cabildo and the May Revolution (Museo Nacional del Cabildo y la Revolución de Mayo), in which paintings, artifacts, clothes and jewellery of the 18th century are on display. The patio of the Cabildo still has its 1835 ornamental water well.

When inaugurated, the building dome showed a needle longer than the current one, but it had to be demolished. The French academics style with Italian elements combine mansard roofs, like many of the buildings on Avenida de Mayo avenue. In the elections of June 24th 2007 Mauricio Macri became elect Chief of City Government, He took over from interim mayor Jorge Telerman in December 2007.

Since the early 20th century, Buenos Aires new City Hall is located opposite the Cabildo as one of the buildings that borders the historical Plaza de Mayo square. It was formerly the site of the Municipal Intendance. It was built between 1891 and 1902 by architect Juan Cagnoni. His style was influenced by the French academic art riddled with Italian elements. In its interior two big canvas can be seen: “Preparativos de salida” from Benito Quinquela Martín and “La fundación de Buenos Aires” from José Moreno Carbonero. The plot was donated to the General José de San Martín for his military conquests.


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