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La Plata

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La Plata is the capital city of the Buenos Aires province in Argentina.

La Plata desde el aire
La Plata desde el aire

It serves as a major administrative and cultural hub for the region. The city is located 9 kilometers inland from the southern shore of a large estuary. It occupies a total area of 893 square kilometers. The city is surrounded by several other areas, including Ensenada and Berisso to the northeast.

Crop of ISS067-E-176677 La Plata, Argentina and vicinity
Crop of ISS067-E-176677 La Plata, Argentina and vicinity

According to the 2022 census, the Partido has 772,618 people. The larger metropolitan area, known as Greater La Plata, has 938,287 inhabitants.

Población Censos La Plata
Población Censos La Plata

The city was intentionally planned to become a provincial capital. This change happened after the city of Buenos Aires was federalized in 1880. Governor Dardo Rocha was tasked with creating this new urban center.

DardoRocha
DardoRocha

He hired an urban planner named Pedro Benoit to design the layout. Benoit used a rationalist conception for the city's structure. The city is shaped like a large square. It features a central park and two main diagonal avenues. One avenue runs north to south, and the other runs east to west.

La Plata desde el aire
La Plata desde el aire

These diagonals are repeated in smaller blocks throughout the city. Every six blocks, there is a small park or square. Most other streets follow a rectangular grid and use consecutive numbers. Because of this unique geometry, La Plata is nicknamed "la ciudad de las diagonales," or the city of diagonals.

Nature and greenery are essential parts of the city's identity. La Plata is also called "la ciudad de los tilos," meaning the city of linden trees. This nickname comes from the many linden trees lining the streets and squares. These are deciduous trees from the Northern Hemisphere. Other common trees include ash, horsechestnut, plane, sweetgum, and tulip trees.

Jacaranda (1)
Jacaranda (1)

While palms and subtropical evergreen trees grow there, they are less frequent. The city's climate is classified as humid subtropical.

Clima La Plata (Argentina)
Clima La Plata (Argentina)

It is quite humid because of its coastal location, with average monthly humidity above 75%. Summers are warm or hot, while winters can be cold with temperatures dropping below freezing. Snowfall is extremely rare, with only five major events recorded in history.

The city's architecture reflects its diverse and international history. Many of the government buildings were chosen through international competitions. For example, the Governor Palace was designed by Italians.

Casa de Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-La Plata-1
Casa de Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-La Plata-1

The City Hall was designed by Germans. Some buildings also show strong Freemason symbolism because Rocha and Benoit were Freemasons. In 1884, the city installed electric street lighting. This was the first such system in Latin America. One of the most famous landmarks is the Cathedral of La Plata.

Buenos Aires - La Plata1
Buenos Aires - La Plata1

It is a neo-Gothic structure and the largest church in Argentina. It sits in Plaza Moreno and is the 58th tallest church in the world.

Municipalidad de La Plata y Plaza Moreno
Municipalidad de La Plata y Plaza Moreno

Education and science are central to the city's importance. The University of La Plata was founded in 1897 and became a national university in 1905.

Unlp
Unlp

It is famous for its observatory and its natural history museum.

Museo de La Plata 2
Museo de La Plata 2

Many famous intellectuals have been connected to the university. For instance, the novelist Ernesto Sabato studied physics there. The city also hosts the Teatro Argentino de La Plata. This is one of the most important opera houses in Argentina. The building was almost destroyed by a fire in 1977. It was later rebuilt to house an orchestra, choir, and ballet.

La Plata has also experienced significant political changes. Between 1952 and 1955, the city was briefly named Ciudad Eva Perón. Its original name was restored after that period ended. In 1976, a military coup led to a period of intense oppression. During the National Reorganization Process, many students from the city were kidnapped or disappeared. This included members of the Unión de Estudiantes Secundarios. The city's history also includes industrial growth. In the 1920s, the La Plata distillery was created. At that time, it was the tenth largest distillery in the world.

Sports play a huge role in local culture. The city has two major first division football teams. These are Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata. Estudiantes is very successful and has won seven national tournaments. They also won the Intercontinental Cup in 1968.

La Plata desde el aire
La Plata desde el aire

The city also features the modern Estadio Ciudad de La Plata.

Autódromo Roberto José Mouras
Autódromo Roberto José Mouras

This stadium hosted matches during the 2011 Copa America. The city continues to evolve with new technology and urban projects. For example, it was the first city in Argentina to use SMS for parking control.

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🖼️ Images & Media (24)
File:DardoRocha.jpg
DardoRocha.jpg
File:Crop of ISS067-E-176677 La Plata, Argentina and vicinity.jpg
Crop of ISS067-E-176677 La Plata,...
File:Buenos Aires - La Plata1.jpg
Buenos Aires - La Plata1.jpg
File:PA280461.JPG
PA280461.JPG
File:La Plata - Estación del Ferrocarril Roca.jpg
La Plata - Estación del Ferrocarril Roca.jpg
File:Clima La Plata (Argentina).PNG
Clima La Plata (Argentina).PNG
File:Casa de Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-La Plata-1.jpg
Casa de Gobierno de la Provincia de...
File:Banco Provincia Casa Matriz-La Plata-1.jpg
Banco Provincia Casa Matriz-La Plata-1.jpg
File:Población Censos La Plata.JPG
Población Censos La Plata.JPG
File:Unlp.jpg
Unlp.jpg
File:EscuelaN19.JPG
EscuelaN19.JPG
File:La Plata desde el aire.JPG
La Plata desde el aire.JPG

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