Avenida Callao – Callao Avenue

This is Callao Avenue, yet another of the city’s major thoroughfares. It’s actually been declared a protected historical zone. Take a look around – you’re surrounded by impressive buildings, most of them dating from 1880 to 1940. The closer you get to the National Congress building, the more government buildings and banks you’ll see. If you turn the other way and head north, you’ll end up at the heart of the city’s educational district, home to many important educational buildings and the Ministry of Education. Believe it or not, back in the 18th century, this was a completely rural area. It was but a strip of farmland surrounding the city. In 1580, the city founder Juan de Garay even had it sown for pasture. But then came Rivadavia, the first president of what was then known as the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, which would later become the Argentine Republic. He had a different idea: turn this strip of land into a ring road circling the small city center of Buenos Aires. The new avenue saw the light of day in 1822 and was named Callao, after the main port of Peru. But why Peru? Because that’s where a major battle for Latin America’s independence took place. You see, it was at the port of Callao that Peruvian troops defeated the Spanish attackers.