On this beautiful, Argentine fall day our group began our morning with a trip to the historic Recoleta Cemetery. Founded in 1822, the Recoleta Cemetery was named for the Recoleto Monks serving as burial grounds for Argentine Catholics. However, subsequent to its establishment the cemetery expanded in some ways but became more exclusive in others- it became open to other religions but also eventually transitioned into a resting ground for only the wealthy and powerful, easily distinguished from common cemeteries through its use of grand mausoleums.

As we arrived to the cemetery, we were able to quickly see what sets Recoleta apart from other burial grounds. Its grand, white entrance detailed with symbols of life and death and a message that reads “Requiescant In Pace” (Latin for “Rest in Peace”) provides a nice preview for what lies inside. Past the gates, the cemetery is lined with nearly 5,000 mausoleums all impressive in their own ways. With some of the mausoleums costing nearly $4 million it came to no surprise that Recoleta serves as the resting grounds of some of Argentina’s most wealthy and notable people.

The cemetery features the tombs of countless presidents, soldiers, entertainers, and other awarded figures, some of the most notable graves belonging to Nobel Prize winner Luis Leloir and First Lady Eva Perón. Overall, the Recoleta Cemetery was eerily enchanting and worth the visit.

Next stop on our list was a quick visit to the El Ateneo bookstore. As it was originally used as a theater, El Ateneo is enormous in size and rich with intricate details making it unlike any other of its kind. The selection may be similar to the book stores we have back in the states but the setting makes it renowned as one of the most beautiful bookshops in the world and surely a necessary stop for anyone visiting Buenos Aires.

To finish the day we stopped for a nice lunch at Piegari restaurant. All in all it was another wonderful and eventful day in Argentina.

Wow… So far, this trip has been an action packed adventure of exploring the city and learning about Argentinian culture. The long days and early mornings left many of us literally exhausted… (See photo below)

Thankfully both the National Museum of the Arts and the National Decorative Museum provided a relaxing afternoon of appreciating different aspects of Argentinian culture. For the record, I am not an art major nor do I consider myself a connoisseur of fine art, but I’ll share certain aspects of the museums that I found interesting.

Both museums had a large amount of religious artwork. These works were usually in older sections of the museums. It really showed the impact that the church had in society. Not only was the church a major political force during this time period, but it heavily influence people’s daily lives. Some pieces that were not religiously focused still had religious symbolism involved. For example the painting below.

Another interesting aspect that I noticed is the influence from other countries such as France, England, Spain, and others in the paintings, sculptures, and even the architecture in some of the buildings. I found these subtle crossings of culture to be interesting. For example, the picture below shows a French flag waiving in the background of the picture.

A third aspect of the museums that I found interesting was the amount of pieces that were dedicated to animals. The photo below shows there was a room exclusively filled with horses. I am really curious to learn why certain animals have so much significance in Argentinian culture. Part of me wonders if it is due to the impact they had in Argentinian agriculture throughout history, and how critical they were to the economy and life in general.

My favorite part of the museum was the modern art sections. Even though my knowledge of the arts is laughable, I was still able to appreciate the different works of art and the method that was used to create them. It was nice to slow down and just appreciate the giant works and the craftsmanship required to create them.