Argentina
Buenos Aires 3D
Welcome to Argentina! Buenos Aires is a big, elegant city full of grand old buildings, leafy plazas, and one of the widest avenues in the world. Down by the old port, a neighborhood called La Boca bursts with houses painted in every color imaginable.
Why is it famous?
The Obelisco is a giant white monument that stands right in the middle of Avenida 9 de Julio, one of the widest streets on the entire planet.
La Boca's Caminito street is covered in houses painted bright blue, yellow, red, and green, because early dockworkers used leftover paint from the shipyards.
How was it built?
Spanish settlers founded the city over 400 years ago beside the wide Río de la Plata, using it as a busy port for ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
Around a hundred years ago, wealthy families brought architects from Europe to design grand buildings, which is why so much of downtown looks like a European capital.
Quick facts
- The Obelisco stands 67 meters (220 feet) tall and was built in just 31 days back in 1936 to celebrate the city's 400th birthday.
- Avenida 9 de Julio is so wide that it can take pedestrians several traffic light changes just to cross from one side to the other.
- The pink presidential palace, Casa Rosada, gets its rosy color from a historic mix of paint that may have included whitewash and ox blood.