• Colombia!

    Colombia: Caribbean Sea coast. Go Now!

    Colombia
    Although most of the people live inland, Colombia also has its share of coastline along the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea (pictured). Go Now!

  • Ecuador!

    Ecuador: Sally Lightfoot Crab. Go Now!

    Ecuador
    The Galapagos Islands and Ecuador are home to incredible wildlife, such as the famous Galapagos Turtle and the lesser known, but more common Red Rock or Sally Lightfoot crab (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

  • Chile!

    Chile: Torres del Paine National Park. Go Now!

    Chile
    The Andes dominate much of Chile, including the breath-taking Torres del Paine National Park (pictured). However, the country also hosts the world's driest desert and a thriving metropolis. Begin Your Journey!

  • Venezuela!

    Venezuela: Los Roques. Go Now!

    Venezuela
    Rooted in Europe, Venezuela boasts an impressive history, culture, and beauty, including the Caribbean Coast (pictured). Explore Venezuela!

  • Bolivia!

    Bolivia: Salt flats. Go Now!

    Bolivia
    This hidden gem is full of surprises, from the impressive salt flats (pictured) to the migrating flamingos. It also clings to the most historic indigenous culture on the continent. Explore Bolivia!

Architecture of Argentina

The pre-Columbian architecture in Argentina was simple and little to no original architecture from this time period remains. Many of the people were semi-nomadic so they never built permanent structures. For these people and those that were more settled, the primary focus of building was in the form of housing. These houses were simple in nature and used the local materials available. Due to their construction of natural degradable materials these historic structures have been replaced by more modern materials and styles.

With the arrival of the Spanish came a new architectural style, but it was slow to arrive as the population grew slowly. It wasn't until the late 1700s and early 1800s that the region was populous and wealthy enough to receive funding from Spain and it was at this point that most of their monumental colonial structures were built.

Most of the colonial architecture is Baroque in style, but many of the early architects in Argentina were of Italian origin, giving the buildings an Italianate flare. As Buenos Aires was the only true city during this time, most of these Baroque buildings can be found in the capital. Some of the best examples are Iglesia de San Ignacio, Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, and the city's cathedral.

With independence in the early 1800s the strongest architectural influence came from the European immigrants, who were generally Spanish, but the French and Italians also made a huge impact. Again it was Buenos Aires that received nearly all of these new structures as the styles remained very European in design and included the Iglesia de Santa Felicitam, the National Congress, and others.

In the 1900s Argentina continued to import styles from Europe as Art Nouveau became popular at the start of the century and sky scrapers dominated the latter half of the century. In between these styles came a resurgence of neo-Classicism, a strong Art Deco movement, and a few local movements. Again Buenos Aires received most of the architectural gems in this century as the capital boasts a modern skyline today, but is also home to numerous Art Deco structures including the Banco el Hogar Argentino and the Kavanagh Building.

As the country continues to build upwards, the focus is on office spaces as well as residential sky scrapers. These buildings have found their way to Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba, and numerous other cities.

This page was last updated: February, 2013