General Archive of the Nation (Argentina)
Encyclopedia
The General Archive of the Nation (in Spanish
: Archivo General de la Nación) are the national archives of Argentina
.
Archive. The institution (AGN) absorbed numerous historical archives, libraries, and other collections over the subsequent decades, and in 1957 acquired the National Print Archive, a bureau established in 1939. Its collections occupy around 14 km (9 mi) of shelf stacks, and the AGN is a member of the Memory of the World Programme
, a UNESCO
initiative.
Operated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the AGN is organized into five departments:
(a former National Mortgage Bank
office designed by Arturo Prins, and completed in 1920), upon the inaugural of the new Mortgage Bank building in 1950.
The headquarters cannot house the entirety of its vast collections, and the Intermediate Archive, for instance, was opened in another, nearby building. Plans were announced for the archives' transfer to the former ALEA Building, a Rationalist structure located behind the Alas Building
that was ultimately sold to developer IRSA
in 1998; later plans to relocate the AGN to the former Caseros Prison
were, likewise, discarded.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Archivo General de la Nación) are the national archives of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Overview
The archives were established on August 28, 1821, by Governor Martín Rodríguez as the Buenos Aires ProvinceBuenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
Archive. The institution (AGN) absorbed numerous historical archives, libraries, and other collections over the subsequent decades, and in 1957 acquired the National Print Archive, a bureau established in 1939. Its collections occupy around 14 km (9 mi) of shelf stacks, and the AGN is a member of the Memory of the World Programme
Memory of the World Programme
UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme is an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and willful and deliberate destruction...
, a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
initiative.
Operated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the AGN is organized into five departments:
- Written Documents. This section curates parchments and manuscripts originating in the colonial Viceroyalty of PeruViceroyalty of PeruCreated in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
and Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata, as well as those dating from the May RevolutionMay RevolutionThe May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
of 1810, and of the series of fledgling governments assembled during the Argentine War of IndependenceArgentine War of IndependenceThe Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
.
- Photographic Documents. PhotographPhotographA photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s dating from 1853 to 1983, totalling over 800,000, as well as the Witcomb Collection (images taken in the renowned former art galleryArt galleryAn art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
of its many exhibitions).
- Library and Dissemination. Oversees partnerships with archives and kindred institutions from around the world, serves as liaison to journalists and researchers, publishes all archive newsletters and periodicals, and maintains the sum of the institute's bibliographyBibliographyBibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
(over 100,000 books). This department, in turn, includes:- Bibliography Fund. 80,000 volumes, and a periodicals library of over 1,500 titles.
- Ernesto Celesia Collection.13,000 volumes dating from the 19th century, and from several countries in South America.
- José Juan Biedma Collection. 717 period publications regarding the War of the Triple AllianceWar of the Triple AllianceThe Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
and boundary disputes with ChileArgentina-Chile relationsArgentina–Chile relations refers to interstate relations between the Republic of Chile and the Argentine Republic. Argentina and Chile share the world's third-longest international border, which is long and runs from north to the south along the Andes mountains...
. - José A. Pillado Collection. 1,044 tomes on Argentine and Western Hemisphere history.
- Juan Domingo Perón Collection. 4,000 volumes donated by the populist leader from his personal library.
- Periodicals Library. Magazine and newspaper issues from the 19th and 20th centuries.
- Cinema and Media. Over 3,000 filmsCinema of ArgentinaThe cinema of Argentina has a tradition dating back to the late nineteenth century, and continues to play a role in the culture of Argentina....
, newsreelNewsreelA newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s, AmpexAmpexAmpex is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff. The name AMPEX is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excellence...
tapes, and more recent multimedia items.
- Intermediate Archive. Established in 1979, the library scienceLibrary scienceLibrary science is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and other areas to libraries; the collection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information resources; and the...
arm of the AGN assists archives and libraries nationwide and elsewhere with the classification and curation of items. This office also maintains the bulk of documentation produced by the array of State enterprises, and was entrusted with these during President Carlos MenemCarlos MenemCarlos Saúl Menem is an Argentine politician who was President of Argentina from 1989 to 1999. He is currently an Argentine National Senator for La Rioja Province.-Early life:...
's privatizationPrivatizationPrivatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
s drive.
Headquarters
Housed within the former Congress building in 1906, the AGN was relocated to its present address at 246 Leandro Alem AvenueLeandro Alem Avenue
Avenida Leandro N. Alem is one of the principal thoroughfares in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a commercial nerve center of the city's San Nicolás and Retiro districs.-Overview:...
(a former National Mortgage Bank
Banco Hipotecario
Banco Hipotecario is an important commercial bank in Argentina and the nation's premier mortgage lender.-Overview:The institution was chartered on September 24, 1886, as the Banco Hipotecario Nacional by a bill signed by President Julio Roca...
office designed by Arturo Prins, and completed in 1920), upon the inaugural of the new Mortgage Bank building in 1950.
The headquarters cannot house the entirety of its vast collections, and the Intermediate Archive, for instance, was opened in another, nearby building. Plans were announced for the archives' transfer to the former ALEA Building, a Rationalist structure located behind the Alas Building
Alas Building
The Alas Building is a residential and office building located in the San Nicolás section of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It stands at a height of 141 metres and houses 41 floors....
that was ultimately sold to developer IRSA
Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima (IRSA)
Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima is the leading real estate development firm in Argentina.-Overview:IRSA was founded as a realty by Isaac Elsztain, an Argentine Jewish immigrant, in 1943. The small independent realty, based in Buenos Aires, grew slowly and, as late as 1991, had a...
in 1998; later plans to relocate the AGN to the former Caseros Prison
Caseros Prison
The Caseros Prison was a panopticon prison in Parque Patricios, a neighborhood in the southern part of Buenos Aires, Argentina.Caseros Prison was conceived by the military dictatorships of the 1960s, originally intended as a short term holding station for prisoners awaiting trial. It was built...
were, likewise, discarded.