San Juan, Argentina
Encyclopedia
San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine
province
of San Juan
in the Cuyo
region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River
, at 650 m (2,133 ft) above mean sea level
, with a population of around 112,000 as per the (over 500,000 in the metropolitan area
).
It is a modern city with wide streets and well drawn avenues with wide sidewalks and vegetation of different species of trees irrigated by canals, from which it derives its nickname oasis town.
It has an important accommodation infrastructure and transportation. It highlights modern buildings and the surroundings, the reservoir and Ullum dam, spas, museums, large plantations of vines, and various types of agriculture, with wine
being the most important.
Conquistador
es, the Huarpe Indians inhabited this area.
San Juan de la Frontera was founded on June 13, 1562 by Juan Jufré
at the shore of the San Juan River. In 1593 flooding damaged the town, for which reason its setting was moved 2.5 km South to its current location.
San Juan was a sleepy, provincial town during colonial times (1562–1810) and took practically no part in the internal wars that devastated Argentina
in its so-called Organizational Period (1820-1860.) Two of the most prominent members of the 1816 Congress of Tucumán
which declared Argentina's independence from Spain
, however, came from San Juán: Francisco Narciso de Laprida
, who was president of the congress, and San Juan's bishop Friar Justo Santa María de Oro, a Dominican
friar
and an eloquent speaker whose persuasive oratory was largely responsible for Argentina becoming a republic and not a monarchy
like Brazil
.
Probably the most important and famous city son was Fray Justo's nephew, and president of Argentina between 1868 and 1874, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
, whose birthplace was turned into a National Historical Monument in 1910, during the administration of president
Roque Sáenz Peña
.
On January 15, 1944, a powerful earthquake
devastated the city, killing around 10,000 people and leaving half of the provincial population homeless. Another quake, 7.4 in the Richter magnitude scale
, struck 80 km northeast of the city on November 23, 1977, causing considerable damage and killing 65 people around the province.
After the disaster of 1944, the city was reconstructed on concentric boulevards, with straight, well-lit, tree-lined avenues and modern housing. It has mostly lost its colonial aspect, but retains an open, sunny Mediterranean look.
, the climate in San Juan is arid
(BWh).
Since very little rain falls in the region, the San Juan River has been dammed to provide a regular source of water to the city. The resulting reservoir is located in Ullum, and is known as the Quebrada de Ullum Dam
. The dam also provides electrical power to the region.
Sixty-five percent of the surrounding area's agricultural production is related to wine production
.
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The city is located within the Capital District, which was planned in the form of a checkerboard anchored by Las Heras Avenue (from North to South), 25 de Mayo Av. (East to West), 9 de Julio Av. (east to west) and Guillermo Rawson Avenue (north to south). These four avenues form a perfect rectangle of 16 blocks in width (going from east to west and vice versa -horizontally-) by 10 blocks long (going up and down or North to South, and vice versa). This center of this rectangle is a square of 7 blocks in length by 6 blocks wide, delimited by Leandro N. Alem, Córdoba, Libertador San Martín and Rioja Avenues. This area is the city's downtown and, as such, is the most densely populated and concentrates most of the city's commercial, financial and institutional activities.
The most important perpendicular avenues are Mitre (known for its cinemas and cyber cafés), José Ignacio de la Roza (built after the 1944 earthquake), commercial Santa Fe Avenue, Rivadavia street (the easternmost two blocks of which have been pedestrianized), and San Martín Avenue (which leads to most access routes towards Greater San Juan). The more important parallel arteries are Mendoza Avenue (leading to Villa Krause
), General Mariano Acha Av. and Rioja Avenue.
Some of the city's most important landmarks are:
Designed by architect Daniel Ramos Correa, the cathedral was inaugurated on December 16, 1979. The bell tower is a steeple of 51 meters (170 feet) in height, and features a British clock and a German carillon which sounds every 15 minutes. The interior is accessed through a bronze vestibule crafted Faenza
, Italy
with bas-reliefs of Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Louis of France, the Apostle Santiago, Saint Anne and several shields and emblems. In the basement of the church is the crypt, the pantheon of the bishops and the chapel of Friar Justo Santa María de Oro.
This is the city's principal urban park, providing a green space with a colorful variety of flora. The park also features 19th century-era monuments to President Domingo Sarmiento and Friar Justo Santa María de Oro. The central fountain, dating from 1871, was remodeled on several occasions.
Named for a former Governor, the park features a monument to its namesake (Antonio Aberastain).
The city's most important, pedestrianized streets, their well-landscaped setting and variety of retail outlets make them favorites among both locals and tourists.
Named to commemorate the May Revolution
of 1810, the park a children's section, an artificial lake with an island, fish and aquatic birds, a velodrom
e, and numerous sculptures and monuments to General José de San Martín
, Governor Federico Cantoni, and to sports.
The city enjoys a modern transport infrastructure and is accessible via a ring road
, and the South Access Freeway, among others. The city's outward growth has made a second ring road necessary, and the project is under construction. The motorway will reduce commuting times from Greater San Juan to downtown, and will also facilitate large freight truck traffic (diverting it from the city proper). It also calls for a complementary project for another motorway called South Corridor, connecting downtown San Juan with Rawson
and other southern suburbs.
The urban public transport
passengers from the City of San Juan consists of bus
lines marked with numbers and letters (19 or 26A), linking the city centre with the various neighbourhoods and the rest of the Great San Juan. In December 2010, the minimum cost of the ticket is $ 1.75. The city also has taxi service and remises.
The rapid growth of the city has necessitated new means of transportation, and a feasibility study was recently commissioned on the development of a trolley
service between downtown and Greater San Juan. The propode routes would unite Chimbas-San Juan (Center)-Villa Krause
and Rivadavia-San Juan (Center)-Santa Lucia
, as well as one circulating downtown.
Long distance public transport is provided by the modern Bus Terminal, with more than 6,000 sq metres (64,000 Sq ft) of area in platforms. The terminal also includes administration offices, ticketing, information, a police precinct, a first-aid room, telephone booths, shops, a restaurant, and other facilities.
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport
is located 15 kilometers from the city in 9 de Julio Department, more precisely in the village of Las Chacritas. It is located at coordinates [display in an interactive map] 31 ° 34'18 .70 "S, 68 ° 25'23 .00" O. IATA Code: UAQ. This airport serves routes from San Juan to Buenos Aires.
The city is situated on National Route 40
, connecting it with Mendoza
(168 km) to the south and La Rioja
(449 km) to the north; National Route 20 connects San Juan to San Luis
(323 km to the east). Distances to other important cities are as follows: Córdoba
(585 km), Catamarca
(623 km) and Buenos Aires
(1110 km).
The old cathedral
, an 18th century Jesuit
style building, was destroyed in the 1944 earthquake, but has been replaced by a modern-Tuscan
-romanesque
building with a campanile
. San Juan is the seat of a Roman Catholic metropolitan
Archbishop
and a Catholic University. San Juan possesses one of the most modern and active concert halls in Argentina, as well as many leafy parks and squares, including Parque de Mayo with its vast artificial lake.
Tourism to San Juan is centered around wine production and dégustation
as well as the rock formations in places like the Ischigualasto
National Park (which includes the Valle de la Luna), 330 km north of the city, and the Quebrada de Ullum Dam
(18 km from the city).
An integral attraction to the province is its large Triassic
period fossil record, believed to be one of the largest in the world. Another curiosity is the Difunta Correa
sanctuary, 64 km kilometres away from San Juan, on route 141.
There is also the Mariano Gambier Archeology museum at La Laja, Albardón county, some 25 km from the center of the city. It concerns itself with the many cultures that inhabited San Juan from Pre-History till the arrival of the Spaniards in 1560. It has a priceless collection of Indian artifacts, cave paintings and other elements of agriculture and life in the Tulum valley from the last 8500 years.
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Museums in the city include:
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...
province
Provinces of Argentina
Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
of San Juan
San Juan Province (Argentina)
San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west....
in the Cuyo
Cuyo (Argentina)
Cuyo is the name given to the wine-producing, mountainous area of central-west Argentina. Historically it comprised the provinces of San Juan, San Luis and Mendoza. The term New Cuyo is a modern one, which indicates both Cuyo proper and the province of La Rioja...
region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River
San Juan River (Argentina)
The San Juan River is, together with the Jáchal, the most important river of the Argentine province of San Juan. Both join the Desaguadero/Colorado system that end at the Atlantic Ocean....
, at 650 m (2,133 ft) above mean sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, with a population of around 112,000 as per the (over 500,000 in the metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
).
It is a modern city with wide streets and well drawn avenues with wide sidewalks and vegetation of different species of trees irrigated by canals, from which it derives its nickname oasis town.
It has an important accommodation infrastructure and transportation. It highlights modern buildings and the surroundings, the reservoir and Ullum dam, spas, museums, large plantations of vines, and various types of agriculture, with wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
being the most important.
History and architecture
Before the arrival of the SpanishSpanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
Conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
es, the Huarpe Indians inhabited this area.
San Juan de la Frontera was founded on June 13, 1562 by Juan Jufré
Juan Jufré
Juan Jufré was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the 1541 expedition of Pedro de Valdivia to Chile. He was the first alcalde of Santiago, Chile and held the position of governor of the Argentine province of Cuyo...
at the shore of the San Juan River. In 1593 flooding damaged the town, for which reason its setting was moved 2.5 km South to its current location.
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 its so-called Organizational Period (1820-1860.) Two of the most prominent members of the 1816 Congress of Tucumán
Congress of Tucumán
The Congress of Tucumán was the representative assembly, initially meeting in Tucumán, that declared the independence of the United Provinces of South America on July 9, 1816, from the Spanish Empire....
which declared Argentina's independence from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, however, came from San Juán: Francisco Narciso de Laprida
Francisco Narciso de Laprida
Francisco Narciso de Laprida was an Argentine lawyer and politician. He was a representative for San Juan at the Congress of Tucumán, and its president on July 9, 1816, when the Declaration of Independence of Argentina was declared.Laprida started his studies at the Real Colegio de San Carlos in...
, who was president of the congress, and San Juan's bishop Friar Justo Santa María de Oro, a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
friar
Friar
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders.-Friars and monks:...
and an eloquent speaker whose persuasive oratory was largely responsible for Argentina becoming a republic and not a monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
like Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Probably the most important and famous city son was Fray Justo's nephew, and president of Argentina between 1868 and 1874, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento was an Argentine activist, intellectual, writer, statesman and the seventh President of Argentina. His writing spanned a wide range of genres and topics, from journalism to autobiography, to political philosophy and history...
, whose birthplace was turned into a National Historical Monument in 1910, during the administration of president
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
Roque Sáenz Peña
Roque Sáenz Peña
Roque Sáenz Peña Lahitte was President of Argentina from 12 October 1910 to 9 August 1914, when he died in office...
.
On January 15, 1944, a powerful earthquake
1944 San Juan earthquake
The 1944 San Juan earthquake took place in the province of San Juan, in the center-west area of Argentina, a region highly prone to seismic events. This moderate to strong earthquake destroyed a large part of San Juan, the provincial capital, and killed 10,000 of its inhabitants, 10% of its...
devastated the city, killing around 10,000 people and leaving half of the provincial population homeless. Another quake, 7.4 in the Richter magnitude scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
, struck 80 km northeast of the city on November 23, 1977, causing considerable damage and killing 65 people around the province.
After the disaster of 1944, the city was reconstructed on concentric boulevards, with straight, well-lit, tree-lined avenues and modern housing. It has mostly lost its colonial aspect, but retains an open, sunny Mediterranean look.
Geography and climate
The city of San Juan is located in a fertile valley within a rocky mountainous area. Winter temperatures are generally mild, averaging between 1 °C and 16 °C, but can drop below -8 °C. Summers are hot and very dry, with average temperatures between 19 °C and 35 °C, and a record maximum of 44 °C. Under the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, the climate in San Juan is arid
Desert climate
A desert climate , also known as an arid climate, is a climate that does not meet the criteria to be classified as a polar climate, and in which precipitation is too low to sustain any vegetation at all, or at most a very scanty scrub.An area that features this climate usually experiences less than...
(BWh).
Since very little rain falls in the region, the San Juan River has been dammed to provide a regular source of water to the city. The resulting reservoir is located in Ullum, and is known as the Quebrada de Ullum Dam
Quebrada de Ullum Dam
The Ullum Dam is a dam on the San Juan River, in Province of San Juan, Argentina. It is located at the gorge of the Quebrada de Ullum, 18 km upstream from the provincial capital San Juan, and creates a reservoir with an area of 32 km², a volume of 440 million m³, and average and maximum depths of...
. The dam also provides electrical power to the region.
Sixty-five percent of the surrounding area's agricultural production is related to wine production
Argentine wine
The Argentine wine industry is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in Spain...
.
Urban aspect
The city of San Juan completely changed its appearance from a colonial one to one of the most modern in the country after the earthquake of 1944, with well-drawn and wide paved streets, ample paths with mosaics, and forests of bananas, moreras and paradises irrigated by channels (small drains).The most important perpendicular avenues are Mitre (known for its cinemas and cyber cafés), José Ignacio de la Roza (built after the 1944 earthquake), commercial Santa Fe Avenue, Rivadavia street (the easternmost two blocks of which have been pedestrianized), and San Martín Avenue (which leads to most access routes towards Greater San Juan). The more important parallel arteries are Mendoza Avenue (leading to Villa Krause
Villa Krause
Villa Krause is the city of the Argentine of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at 640 m above mean sea level, with a population of around 107,000 as per the ....
), General Mariano Acha Av. and Rioja Avenue.
Some of the city's most important landmarks are:
- Cathedral
Designed by architect Daniel Ramos Correa, the cathedral was inaugurated on December 16, 1979. The bell tower is a steeple of 51 meters (170 feet) in height, and features a British clock and a German carillon which sounds every 15 minutes. The interior is accessed through a bronze vestibule crafted Faenza
Faenza
Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with bas-reliefs of Saint Rose of Lima, Saint Louis of France, the Apostle Santiago, Saint Anne and several shields and emblems. In the basement of the church is the crypt, the pantheon of the bishops and the chapel of Friar Justo Santa María de Oro.
- 25th of May Park
This is the city's principal urban park, providing a green space with a colorful variety of flora. The park also features 19th century-era monuments to President Domingo Sarmiento and Friar Justo Santa María de Oro. The central fountain, dating from 1871, was remodeled on several occasions.
- Aberastain Park
Named for a former Governor, the park features a monument to its namesake (Antonio Aberastain).
- Peatonal Tucumán and Rivadavia
The city's most important, pedestrianized streets, their well-landscaped setting and variety of retail outlets make them favorites among both locals and tourists.
- May Park
Named to commemorate the May Revolution
May Revolution
The 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, the park a children's section, an artificial lake with an island, fish and aquatic birds, a velodrom
Velodrom
The Velodrom is an indoor track cycling arena, in the Prenzlauer Berg, locality of Berlin, Germany. Holding up to 12,000 people, it was also Berlin's largest concert venue, until the opening of O2 World in 2008....
e, and numerous sculptures and monuments to General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
, Governor Federico Cantoni, and to sports.
Transport
Ring road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...
, and the South Access Freeway, among others. The city's outward growth has made a second ring road necessary, and the project is under construction. The motorway will reduce commuting times from Greater San Juan to downtown, and will also facilitate large freight truck traffic (diverting it from the city proper). It also calls for a complementary project for another motorway called South Corridor, connecting downtown San Juan with Rawson
Rawson Department, San Juan
Rawson is a central department of San Juan Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 107,000 inhabitants in an area of 164 km², and its capital city is Villa Krause, which is located around 1,190 km from Capital Federal.-Geography:Rawson is located in...
and other southern suburbs.
The urban public transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
passengers from the City of San Juan consists of bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
lines marked with numbers and letters (19 or 26A), linking the city centre with the various neighbourhoods and the rest of the Great San Juan. In December 2010, the minimum cost of the ticket is $ 1.75. The city also has taxi service and remises.
The rapid growth of the city has necessitated new means of transportation, and a feasibility study was recently commissioned on the development of a trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
service between downtown and Greater San Juan. The propode routes would unite Chimbas-San Juan (Center)-Villa Krause
Villa Krause
Villa Krause is the city of the Argentine of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at 640 m above mean sea level, with a population of around 107,000 as per the ....
and Rivadavia-San Juan (Center)-Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia is a traditional Neapolitan song. It was transcribed by Teodoro Cottrau and published by the Cottrau firm, as a "barcarolla", at Naples in 1849. Cottrau translated it from Napuletano into Italian during the first stage of the Risorgimento, the first Neapolitan song to be given Italian...
, as well as one circulating downtown.
Long distance public transport is provided by the modern Bus Terminal, with more than 6,000 sq metres (64,000 Sq ft) of area in platforms. The terminal also includes administration offices, ticketing, information, a police precinct, a first-aid room, telephone booths, shops, a restaurant, and other facilities.
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Airport is an airport in San Juan Province, Argentina serving the cities of San Juan. It is served by Aerolíneas Argentinas.They started planning San Juan Airport on 15 February 1958...
is located 15 kilometers from the city in 9 de Julio Department, more precisely in the village of Las Chacritas. It is located at coordinates [display in an interactive map] 31 ° 34'18 .70 "S, 68 ° 25'23 .00" O. IATA Code: UAQ. This airport serves routes from San Juan to Buenos Aires.
The city is situated on National Route 40
National Route 40 (Argentina)
National Route 40 or RN40, often called Ruta 40 even in English texts, is a route in western Argentina, stretching from Cabo Virgenes in Santa Cruz Province in the south to La Quiaca in Jujuy Province in the north, running parallel to the Andes mountains...
, connecting it with Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
(168 km) to the south and La Rioja
La Rioja, Argentina
La Rioja is the capital city of the Argentine province of La Rioja, located on the east of the province. The city has a population of almost 150,000 as per the ....
(449 km) to the north; National Route 20 connects San Juan to San Luis
San Luis, Argentina
-External links:* * *...
(323 km to the east). Distances to other important cities are as follows: Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
(585 km), Catamarca
San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca
San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca is a city in northwestern Argentina and capital of Catamarca Province, on the Río Valle River, at the feet of the Cerro Ambato....
(623 km) and 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...
(1110 km).
Main sights
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, an 18th century Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
style building, was destroyed in the 1944 earthquake, but has been replaced by a modern-Tuscan
Tuscan order
Among canon of classical orders of classical architecture, the Tuscan order's place is due to the influence of the Italian Sebastiano Serlio, who meticulously described the five orders including a "Tuscan order", "the solidest and least ornate", in his fourth book of Regole generalii di...
-romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
building with a campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
. San Juan is the seat of a Roman Catholic metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
and a Catholic University. San Juan possesses one of the most modern and active concert halls in Argentina, as well as many leafy parks and squares, including Parque de Mayo with its vast artificial lake.
Tourism to San Juan is centered around wine production and dégustation
Wine tasting
Wine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onwards...
as well as the rock formations in places like the Ischigualasto
Ischigualasto
Ischigualasto is a geological formation and a natural park associated with it in the province of San Juan, north-western Argentina, near the border with Chile...
National Park (which includes the Valle de la Luna), 330 km north of the city, and the Quebrada de Ullum Dam
Quebrada de Ullum Dam
The Ullum Dam is a dam on the San Juan River, in Province of San Juan, Argentina. It is located at the gorge of the Quebrada de Ullum, 18 km upstream from the provincial capital San Juan, and creates a reservoir with an area of 32 km², a volume of 440 million m³, and average and maximum depths of...
(18 km from the city).
An integral attraction to the province is its large Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
period fossil record, believed to be one of the largest in the world. Another curiosity is the Difunta Correa
Difunta Correa
The Deceased Correa is a semi-pagan mythical figure in folk-religion, for which a number of people in Argentina and Chile, especially among the popular classes, feel a great devotion...
sanctuary, 64 km kilometres away from San Juan, on route 141.
There is also the Mariano Gambier Archeology museum at La Laja, Albardón county, some 25 km from the center of the city. It concerns itself with the many cultures that inhabited San Juan from Pre-History till the arrival of the Spaniards in 1560. It has a priceless collection of Indian artifacts, cave paintings and other elements of agriculture and life in the Tulum valley from the last 8500 years.
- Casa Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, located at the intersection of Libertador General San Martín Avenue and Sarmiento street. Made a National Historic Monument in 1910, this was the first site so designated in Argentina. The local educator and President of the Republic from 1868 to 1874, Domingo Sarmiento, was born here in 1811 and raised here, as well. The modest, though comfortable 9 room house features original relics, furniture, commemorative photographs, medals, periodicals and books written by Sarmiento and belonging to his original collections. In the central patio of the house one can find a sprout of the famous fig tree and a replica of the historical loom of Doña Paula, his mother, whom Sarmiento mentions in his book Recuerdos de Provincia (Provincial
- Franklin Rawson Museum of Fine Arts/Agustín Gnecco Historical Provincial Museum. It houses a patrimony of paintings and sculptures, engravings and drawings from national artists. The Gnecco Museum features elements related to fashion in the 18th and 19th centuries, Creole silverwork, as well as historic numismatics and philatelyPostage stamps and postal history of ArgentinaArgentine postage stamps per sé were first issued in 1862 by the National Postal Service, a federal entity that dates from 1854, following the establishment of the Republic in lieu of the former, failed Confederacy...
collections. - Amid Read Museum/Carlos Gardel House of Tango provides displays and videos outlining the developent of Argentine TangoArgentine TangoArgentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of...
, and its evolution in the 20th century. Conferences, discussions, and violin and bandoneónBandoneónThe bandoneón is a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. It plays an essential role in the orquesta típica, the tango orchestra...
classes are among the activities hosted here. - Natural Sciences Museum. This facility, housed in a former railway stationRail transport in ArgentinaThe Argentine railway network comprised of track at the end of the Second World War and was, in its time, one of the most extensive and prosperous in South America. However, with the increase in highway construction, there followed a sharp decline in railway profitability, leading to the break-up...
is known for its dinosaurDinosaurDinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
fossil collections, found mainly in the nearby IschigualastoIschigualastoIschigualasto is a geological formation and a natural park associated with it in the province of San Juan, north-western Argentina, near the border with Chile...
Valley.
External links
- Página Oficial de la Provincia de San Juan (Spanish)
- Municipality of San Juan - Official website.
- Earthquakes in San Juan
- San Juan Tourist Guide (English - Spanish - German)
- San Juan Events Guide (Spanish)
- City info