Boasting a rich architectural heritage that reflects its diverse cultural influences, Buenos Aires features an eclectic mix of styles, including neoclassical, Art Deco, and modernist. Iconic landmarks like Palacio Barolo, designed in a unique neogothic style, reflect the city’s historic grandeur. In contrast, the city’s contemporary architecture is epitomized by the Woman’s Bridge, a striking, modern design by Santiago Calatrava symbolizing a couple dancing tango. The city’s brutalist architecture is exemplified by the Bank of London and South America, with its raw concrete and bold geometric forms. This eclectic mix of architectural styles, from the ornate to the avant-garde, illustrates Buenos Aires’ dynamic evolution and cultural richness.
Check out Buenos Aires’s must-see buildings below:
Contemporary Architecture
Woman’s Bridge
Architect: Santiago Calatrava
Built: 1998
Type: Bridge
Address: Puerto Madero
Buenos Aires Ciudad Casa de Gobierno
Architect: Foster + Partners
Built: 2015
Type: City Hall
Address: Av. de Mayo 525, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Contemporary Art Museum
Architect: Monoblock
Built: 2014
Type: Museum
Address: Avenida Félix U. Camet, López de Gomara &, Mar del Plata, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Faena Aleph Residences
Architect: Foster + Partners
Built: 2012
Type: Housing
Address: Petrona Eyle 300, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires
Brutalist Architecture
Bank of London and South America
Architect: Clorindo Testa + SEPRA
Built: 1966
Type: Bank
Address: BANCO HIPOTECARIO S.A., Reconquista 151, C1043AAQ CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes
The Mariano Moreno National Library
Architect: Clorindo Testa, Francisco Bullrich, Alicia Cazzaniga
Built: 1992
Type: Library
Address: Agüero 2502, C1425 Cdad. Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes
Planetario Galileo Galilei
Architect: Enrique Jan
Built: 1966
Type: Planetarium
Address: Av. Sarmiento s/n, 1425 CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 9:30 -5:00pm
Website: www.planetario.gob.ar
Historic Architecture
Palacio Barolo
Architect: Mario Palanti
Built: 1923
Type: Offices
Address: 1370 Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires
Open to the Public: Yes
Tours: www.palaciobarolotours.com/site/en
Website: www.palaciobarolo.com
Confitería Del Molino
Architect: Francisco Gianotti
Built: 1917
Type: Coffehouse
Address: Av. Rivadavia 1827, C1033AAI CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: No
Palacio de Aguas Corrientes
Architect: Carlos Nyströmer
Built: 1894
Type: Water Pumpin Station
Address: C1025AAP, Riobamba 750, C1025ABP CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Casa Rosada
Architect: Carl Kihlberg, Henrik Åberg, Francisco Tamburini
Built: 1876
Type: Government Building
Address: Balcarce 78, C1064 Cdad. Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Architect: Foster + Partners
Built: 2012
Type: Housing
Address: Petrona Eyle 300, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires
Open to the Public: No
Architect: Carlos Nyströmer
Built: 1894
Type: Water Pumpin Station
Address: C1025AAP, Riobamba 750, C1025ABP CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Architect: Francisco Gianotti
Built: 1917
Type: Coffehouse
Address: Av. Rivadavia 1827, C1033AAI CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: No
Architect: Mario Palanti
Built: 1923
Type: Offices
Address: 1370 Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires
Open to the Public: Yes
Tours: www.palaciobarolotours.com/site/en
Website: www.palaciobarolo.com
Architect: Enrique Jan
Built: 1966
Type: Planetarium
Address: Av. Sarmiento s/n, 1425 CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes
Hours: Tuesday to Friday: 9:30 -5:00pm
Website: www.planetario.gob.ar
Architect: Clorindo Testa + SEPRA
Built: 1966
Type: Bank
Address: BANCO HIPOTECARIO S.A., Reconquista 151, C1043AAQ CABA, Argentina
Open to the Public: Yes