AN ISLAND IN RECOLETA

A small group of beautiful street on a small hill on Recoleta neighborhood is known as “La Isla” (The Island), because of the beauty and quietness of the spot. The place is delimited by the Avenues del Libertador and Las Heras and the streets Aguero and Agote. There are few interior streets and the vehicle access is restricted. Most of its buildings are from aristocratic marvels from the beginning of the XX Century. Hostel Colonial presents you “The Island”.

The classy buildings have columns and ornamental details which confer solemnity to the whole area. The 82 thousand square meters of land used to belong to the Hale-Pearson family and were known as Hale Estate. In 1906, the place was bought with the intention of building an exclusive neighborhood who could appreciate the River Plate from the heights of the hill. A French urbanist, Joseph Bouvard, was in charge of the works.

The Mitre Square was delimited and the cobbled-paving street projected. The local aristocracy quickly bought the plots of land and built their mansion. The only which remains exactly the same is the Madero-Unzué Mansion, actual British Embassy. Stairs, balustrades and terraces are part of the walk through this urban island. Other great urbanists of that time participated in the project, mainly Charles Thays, who designed most of the larger parks of Buenos Aires.

The place is called in different ways: some say “The Island”, some others say it’s “a piece of France in Buenos Aires”. However, the tranquility that surrounds and the beauty of the constructions and urban design urges you to pay a visit to this wonderful Recoleta spot.