Avenida Corrientes used to be the centre of Porteno nightlife and retains the initial bohemia immortalized in popular lore.

In the 1930s it was widened and numerous cinemas, theatres, and restaurants quickly lined its sidewalks. Antique, rare and used bookstores are clustered here as well, interspersed with the traditional Porteno cafes. Exchange houses are easily located along this avenue for the many tourists who flock here. The Obelisco (Obelisk) and this famous avenue, constitute the city’s icons, and the typical picture postcard view of Buenos Aires.

Never more than a street of average width during the nineteenth century, traffic swelled after the city began its rapid westward expansion, around 1880. Horse-drawn tramways first ran on the avenue in 1887; but, they soon proved inadequate and in 1910, Mayor Joaquin de Anchorena signed a bill authorizing its widening.

The plan called for the massive razing of most of the avenue’s north-side real estate and, so, met with strenuous opposition from affected landlords, retailers, as well as intellectuals like Roberto Arlt. A coup d’ètat in 1930, however, made way for the plan’s implementation, carried out relentlessly until its completion, in 1936. The newly inaugurated avenue coincided with the construction of the Buenos Aires Obelisk, since then one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

Did you know? That it was named del Sol during the 17th century, San Nicolás from 1738 to 1808, and de Incháurregui from 1808 until 1822, when it received its current name.

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