National Congress

Buenos Aires, with its diversity of European-style architecture, has long been called ‘the Paris of South America’. It was a phrase thought up in the 1930s by a real estate marketing guru. The label still is in wide use today – even though the stately architecture is disappearing. Everyone who visits Buenos Aires has a favorite building or two, they just have to be searched out. ‘The Paris of South America’ still exists, it’s just harder to find these days. Here’s where to start looking.
The Palacio de Aguas Argentinas – or Water Palace – unique and ornate, once functioned as the city’s water supplier. The Palacio was developed following a yellow fever epidemic which killed a significant portion of its residents in 1871. The ornate exterior gives the appearance of a royal residence, but hidden behind are the pipes, tanks, and pumps which made the reservoir work. The interior components came from Belgium and consisted of 12 water tanks which held 19 million gallons of water. Today, the building is home to the offices of the city’s new water department, as well as a museum dedicated to drainage and sanitation. Yes, there is a collection of commodes, bidets, and related objects.
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