Plaza Dorrego is a square located in the heart of San Telmo

San Telmo

San Telmo is the oldest barrio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a well-preserved area of the Argentine metropolis and is characterized by its colonial buildings. Cafes, tango parlors and antique shops line the cobblestone streets, which are often filled with artists and dancers.San Telmo's...

, in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...

, 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...

. In the 19th century, San Telmo was the main residential barrio (neighbourhood) of the city and Plaza Dorrego was its focal point.

In the past it was referred to as Hueco del Alto or Alto de la carretas as it was the place where wagons would stop before crossing the Tercero del Sur stream (today called Pasaje San Lorenzo) on their way downtown. The name had been Alto de San Pedro and later changed to Plaza del Comercio in 1822. In 1905, the name was changed once again to its current form.

The buildings located in the square maintain its original design thanks to the help of the Comisión del Museo de la Ciudad.

Currently, its surroundings are full of coffee shops, bars and pubs, which fill the square with tables from those shops. There are also several antique stores. Musicians and dancers particularly tango

Tango (dance)

Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....

 exhibitions are seen. The Feria de San Telmo

Feria de San Telmo

Feria de San Telmo is an antique fair that takes place in the barrio of San Telmo, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was created in 1970 by architect José María Peña....

 (San Telmo Fair), mainly of antiques, runs every Sunday.

Plaza Dorrego is located at the intersection of Humberto I and Defensa streets. Along with La Boca

La Boca

La Boca is a neighborhood, or barrio of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour, with many of its early settlers being from the Italian city of Genoa. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the Genoese neighborhood of Boccadasse , and some people believe that...

, Recoleta

Recoleta

Recoleta is a downtown residential neighborhood in the city of Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina; it is an area of great historical and architectural interest, due, particularly to the Recoleta Cemetery located there...

, Florida Street

Florida Street

Florida Street is an elegant shopping street in Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. A pedestrian street since 1971, some stretches have been pedestrianized since 1913....

, and others, Plaza Dorrego is one of the main tourist attractions of Buenos Aires.