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Buenos Aires History & Architecture Audio Guide

Trace the history of Buenos Aires from obscurity to prosperity with a local expert in your ear
US$20
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Audio Guide Details
Duration
1 hour 15 minutes
Product Type
Audio Guide
Venues
  • Plaza de Mayo
  • Puerto Madero
Preview Buenos Aires History & Architecture Audio Guide
Plaza de Mayo
Catedral Metropolitana
Photos & Highlights
Audio Guide Description
Buenos Aires had to fight to become the powerful commercial center it is today. On this walking tour with a professor of design history and Context Travel expert Juan Cruz, you’ll find out how the capital developed, through its architecture and geography. Juan will tell you about the city’s economic developments as you explore neighborhoods like Plaza de Mayo and Puerto Madero.

The tour starts in front of the Cabildo, the sole remaining colonial structure in this plaza, which dates back to a time before Buenos Aires was part of an independent nation. Here, you’ll get a grasp of how the country’s lack of resources, geographical location, and absence of locals left Buenos Aires on the margins of the Spanish empire.

You’ll pass the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral and find out why its previous archbishop, Jorge Bergoglio, is now known as Pope Francis. As you walk towards Puerto Madero, built as a port area in the early 1900s, Juan will tell you how the area has come full circle. Once the country’s main port, it fell into disrepair and was then reborn as the city’s most expensive neighborhood.

The tour ends at the Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, one of the largest green spaces in the city.

Along the way, you‘ll have a chance to:

• Find out why almost all of Argentina’s colonial-era buildings were made of adobe, a relatively primitive mixture of materials like mud
• Take in Casa Rosada, the headquarters of the Supreme Court, and find out the secret behind its pink-tinted walls
• Learn about the Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, two human rights organizations that emerged in direct response to military dictatorship
• Meet Juana Azurduy, an outstanding guerrilla fighter and military leader during the Latin American independence movement

By the end of this 75-minute walk through Buenos Aires, you’ll have a better understanding of how the city has fought to become the powerful commercial center it is today.

Meet Your Expert
Juan Cruz

Juan Cruz is a lecturer in History of Design at the School of Architecture, Design and Urbanism of the national Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is also a researcher, currently involved in a project about the models of beauty in Buenos Aires in the period 1800 - 1830. Juan Cruz has a degree in music and plays violin in a symphonic orchestra as well as being a part of a tango group. He has participated in a wide range of seminars and courses related to design, architecture, art history and music. In the past, he has worked in two vastly different cultural institutions: an opera house and a center of contemporary art. He has also travelled through thirty countries and considers travelling one of the most enlightening experiences and ways to learn.

How do I access the audio guide and download it for offline use?
Once you complete your purchase, you will receive a voucher code for your Audio Guide. You must download the Voicemap app and enter the code. 
  1. Install VoiceMap from the Apple App Store or Google Play
  2. Create an account
  3. Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes
  4. Enter your Voucher Code
  5. Select Download Now
Is closed captioning (i.e. subtitles) available?
Yes! All of our audio guides have the option to turn on closed captioning should you have difficulty hearing the expert.

How long does each event last?
Our recorded audio guides typically run for 75 minutes.

How can I share this audio guide with friends or family?
You are welcome to listen together with friends or family, but each person listening to the guide on their own device will need to purchase the audio guide individually.

How long does my access to the audio guide last?
Once you purchase an audio guide, you are welcome to listen to it as many times as you would like. Your access to a purchased audio guide does not expire.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?
Sales for recorded audio guides are final upon purchase. Please contact us at digital@contexttravel.com if you have any questions or concerns about your purchase.

Can I purchase a gift card for a friend who is traveling?
Absolutely! Gift cards can be purchased here. Gift cards are good for 365 days from the date of purchase.