From Parque Sarmiento to Plaza Italia: A Walking Tour Through Northern Buenos Aires

Walking the City of Buenos Aires is one of the best ways to discover how history, architectural heritage, and new green spaces coexist. I propose an urban trek route linking five iconic neighborhoods across Comunas 12, 13, and 14: Saavedra, Coghlan, Belgrano, Colegiales, and Palermo, starting from the entrance of Parque Sarmiento and ending at Plaza Italia.

Saavedra: Neighborhood Memory and Institutions

The starting point quickly leads into corners rich in heritage and historical value:

•    Plazoleta Capitán Aviador Vicente Almandos Almonacid: Located at the intersection of Av. Balbín, Miller, and Ruiz Huidobro. Officially named in November 1982, it pays tribute to the aviator from La Rioja (1882–1953), a key figure in the crossing of the Andes and founder of the airmail service.
•    Bust of Pedro Bonifacio Palacios (Almafuerte): Located in the square at Av. Balbín and Av. Ruiz Huidobro. The original bronze work by sculptor Isaías Cotone on a granite pedestal was stolen in 1986. In July 2026, the City Government completed a historical restoration by reinstalling an exact replica created by the Monuments and Artworks (MOA) workshop based on historical documentation. (More details in CEMBA, Instagram, and Saavedra Online records).
•    Hogar Luis María Saavedra: Its facade represents a fundamental piece of Buenos Aires' institutional memory. Notable for its Neoclassical scale with monumental columns, an engraved pediment, and a semi-circular arched entrance portal displaying the inscription: "Sociedad de San José / Fundada en el año 1874 por / Petrona Coronel de Lamarca". It features detailed stonework accents, wooden windows, and flags flanking the portico.

Coghlan: Serenity, Eclecticism, and Contrast

Advancing along Coghlan's street grid, architecture and green passages take center stage:

•    Plazoleta Curuzú Cuatiá and Monument to the Virgin: At the intersection of Av. Balbín, Conde, and Quesada. Its name evokes Belgrano's military campaigns, while its shrine and monument to the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal serve as a visual landmark and identity symbol for the neighborhood.
•    Period Residential Architecture: Along the route, eclectic-style homes influenced by picturesque architecture can be observed—highly representative of Buenos Aires residential construction between 1920 and 1940.
•    Casona del Palacio Roccatagliata: Located at Av. Balbín and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

o    Origin: Built around 1900 for Juan Roccatagliata (a family linked to the Confitería del Molino), it features an Italian Neo-Renaissance/eclectic style with a gallery of Corinthian columns, bas-reliefs, and coats of arms.
o    Heritage and Towers: Protected by law, the 3,500 m2 villa was a centerpiece of urban planning debates. Today, it is integrated into a two-tower residential complex (13 and 28 stories), preserving the historic mansion for access control and common areas.

•    Escuela de Educación Media N° 05/10° - Héroes de Malvinas: A building designed in an Academicist and eclectic language. Highlights include its monumental order with engaged pilasters and dark-contrasting Corinthian capitals, a triangular pediment, a semi-circular arched entrance with an upper loggia, Art Nouveau-influenced artistic ironwork, and cladding simulating Paris stone (pierre de Taille).

Colegiales: Heritage, Naming Controversies, and Green Lungs

The section through Colegiales connects transit history with urban renewal:

•    Plaza Portugal: Located near the train tracks.

o    Naming Controversy: Legally registered as a "Plaza" under Ordinance No. 21,896 of 1966 (Source: Barrios, calles y plazas de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires by Alberto Gabriel Piñeiro and the OEBA website), it contrasts with on-site GCBA signage labeling it as a "Plazoleta." This discrepancy occurs because a legal name change requires legislative approval, whereas operational signage often assigns names based on the physical size or scale of the plot.
o    Literary Heritage: Houses the monument to Luís Vaz de Camões (unveiled in 1984), consisting of a bronze bust on Sierra Chica granite with the inscription "Luís Vaz de Camões. El gran poeta épico portugués". (See reference on the OEBA Web).

•    Parque Ferroviario Colegiales: A linear green space project spanning 24,000 m2 over the former Mitre Railroad railyard (Moldes, Av. Federico Lacroze, Virrey Olaguer y Feliú, and the tracks):

o    Stage I (Lacroze Polygon): Bounded by Av. Lacroze, Moldes, Palpa, Teodoro García, and the station.
o    Stage II (Virreyes / Moldes Polygon): Northern section along Moldes toward Plaza Juan José Paso, which added permeable soil, walkways, LED lighting, trees, and the restoration of railway sheds.
o    Highlighted Sectors: Parque Jorge Luis Borges (rest areas and modern street furniture), Amphitheater (tiered seating for cultural events), and the Playón (a open plaza space retaining the identity of its original railway use).

•    Plaza Juan José Paso: Bounded by Moldes, Virrey Olaguer y Feliú, Zabala, and the tracks. It houses the monument to the secretary of the First Junta—created by sculptor Torcuato Tasso and unveiled in May 1910 for the Centennial—accompanied by an allegorical figure of "Eloquence" in Carrara marble.
•    Spanish Colonial Revival Residence: An example of early 20th-century Spanish-American Picturesqueness, characterized by a Spanish tile roof with exposed timber corbels, white walls with an ochre baseboard, wrought-iron spiral grillwork, and solid wood window frames with molded trims.
•    Monasterio del Santísimo Corpus Christi y San Juan de la Cruz: A cloistered convent of the Discalced Carmelites. Completed in 1904 and inaugurated on March 19, 1905, following the land donation by Bartolomé Churruca. It showcases an eclectic facade with Neo-Romanesque and Neo-Gothic features, rose windows, and the inscription "Año 1905 - Capilla Corpus Christi". It is dedicated to Saint Mary Maravillas of Jesus and celebrates devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague on the 25th of each month. The community maintains the reception area and sells handcrafted goods (jams and preserves) through the traditional revolving hatch (torno).

Belgrano and Palermo: The Final Stretch

The journey concludes by crossing the commercial and scenic axes of Belgrano toward Palermo, connecting the neighborhood scale with the bustle of Plaza Italia—an ideal finish for this urban hiking circuit.

 
Link to Wikiloc: https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderismo/walk-through-saavedra-coghlan-belgrano-colegiales-and-palermo-city-of-buenos-aires-caba-285062289