San Telmo Buenos aires

San Telmo is widely hailed as the most picturesque part of Buenos Aires.  When I walk the tree lined cobbled stone streets, with their imposing colonial style buildings lit up by fraoles (gas lights), I often feel transported back in time - San Telmo to me is the passion and romance that brought me to amazing Buenos Aires.

San Telmo is the oldest district (barrio) in Buenos Aires and is a great Argentinean historical centre, not much has happened that this barrio could not recount.  San Telmo gets it names from Pedro Gonzalez Telmo who was a Spanish Franciscan monk Canonised in 1741. He is attributed with catching fish in his hands, protecting ships and is the Patron Saint of both Portuguese and Spanish sailors.

This barrio was originally settled by Buenos Aires' richest residents. Their great sense of style and wealth is still very much alive in the wonderful Quintas (large colonial style houses) that today house the most eclectic array of high quality antique shops and arts and craft galleries.  It reminds me of parts of London's Mayfair, St. James's and Chelsea without the snobbery or condescending shop girls.

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In 1806, Britain at war with Spain felt Buenos Aires an easy prize, a small expeditionary forced landed and managed to form a bridgehead for a wider invasion. The war in Europe weighed heavily on Great Britain and in 1807 the British were forced down the streets of San Telmo by fierce hand-to-hand combat and by women, slaves and children aiming burning oil and scalding water projectiles, small arms and cannon fire from their roof tops and balconies. The British retreat to thier ships is legendary and their defeat and Spain's rapid demise are the catalysts that gave birth to a nation.

In 1871, an outbreak of Yellow Fever sent the rich fleeing across the city to Downtown and Recoleta and their mansions were soon taken over by squatters who gave birth to the city's historic conventillos (tenement houses).  Incredibly, (things do not happen quickly in Argentina) it took 100 years to pass laws that would finally protect peoples property.  Do not leave San Telmo without going to The British Bar (Bar Britanico) at the corner of Brasil and Defensa Streets, El Viejo Almacen, in Independencia and Balcarce Streets, El Federal, at the corner of Peru and Carlos Calvo Streets and the Parroquia de San Pedro Telmo.

Lezama Park: has a monument to Pedro de Mendoza (one of the founders of Buenos Aires), this is a smashing green space with huge sculptures. Just across the Lezama Park, is The Russian Orthodox Church of the Sacred Trinity: Built by Russian immigrants fleeing Bolshevism and poverty in early 1900s.  The National History Museum: Documents Argentinean history. Museum of Modern Art: Contemporary art, photographs, architectural and industrial designs.