The history of San Isidro begins in 1580, when Juan de Garay made the first distribution of the lands north of the City of La Santísima Trinidad (current City of Buenos Aires). The current territory of the District of San Isidro was within the Lands of the Coast or Lands of the Large Forest.

Legend goes that while going along these lands, a captain from Vizcaya by the name of Domingo de Acassuso had a dream, on which he pledged to build a chapel in honour of San Isidro Labrador, whose name was later borrowed to call the entire area and, likewise, to name the current district.

Although there is nothing left from the primordial chapel built in 1706, the location of the new one remained the same, so nowadays you can appreciate the San Isidro Cathedral rising on the lot.

Regardless of the fact that it has not been strange to the industrial growth that Argentina has experienced in the past few decades, San Isidro is a mainly residential area. It has calmed and irregular streets shaded by huge groves; its houses display the most diverse and antagonistic styles: Norman, Californian, and buildings of French or rather of colonial features. They all have in common that they are all adorned with beautiful gardens.

The city as a whole is the living image of elegance and luxury.

There are many shops, significant galleries and shopping malls in downtown San Isidro, as well as lavish discotheques and sweetshops that cheer up its sometimes wild nightlife. It is the seat of important national and international sport institutions that promote the practice of nautical sports and rugby, amongst others.

To walk across green spaces or under aged groves, and to enjoy the easy going atmosphere offered by Rio de la Plata, as well as to be part of, or simply watch, the old traditions of its inhabitants, are the main attractions to be found in San Isidro.

HOW TO GET THERE

By Car
Along General Paz Av, through the Pan American Route (Sol Highway), and then continuing along Marquez Av, after taking it at the access detour. It can also be reached from the Federal Capital along Maipú or El Libertador Av.

By Train and by Bus
It can be reached coming on the Mitre Train or the Train of the Coast; besides, there are several bus lines that take shortcuts from the capital up to San Isidro.

PLACES OF INTEREST

San Isidro Labrador Cathedral
This building is standing in the place where Domingo de Acassuso had built the 1706 temple. It is of neo-gothic style with three naves, stained glass windows of French origins, and a 300 visitors capacity. It was built between 1895 and 1898, and its dimensions are: 60 m long, 19 m wide, and a church tower 69 m tall with a clock on each one of its faces.

It has valuable images, amongst them two of San Isidro Labrador, one of which is from the early XIX century, and the other, from a later date, also comes from Spain. There is a carving of Santa Maria de la Cabeza, dated in the XVIII century, though the most revered relic is nothing but a part of the uncorrupted body of San Isidro, sent by the King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, in 1929.

The feast of the patron saint is celebrated on May the 15th. It is located on the block limited by Anchorena, 9 de Julio and Moseñor de Andrea Stts, and El Libertador Av.

San Isidro Athletics Club
It was created in 1902 as a football club, but was afterwards dedicated to the practice of rugby, a sport of which it has been one of the first and most important promoters. This worked for San Isidro to be declared Rugby National Capital in 1972. Its current installations were built in 1926, but nowadays it has facilities for other activities besides rugby, such as paddle, squash, swimming, English bowls, etc. 499, Roque Saenz Peña St, corner with El Libertador Av.

San Juan El Precursor School
It is sitting beside the Cathedral, on Anchorena St, within the Historic Centre. Built in 1840, it was the summer house of the Anchorena family, and in the 1920s architect Estanislao Pirovano refurbished it adding baroque features to the original design.

Headquarters of the Re-conquest
This building dates back to the XVIII century, and it housed Liniers and Pueyrredón in August 1806, when on their way in front of the troops to re-conquer Buenos Aires, which by then was under the domain of the British. It is located on 151 Virrey Vertiz St.

Train of the Coast
This train was called Train of Below in the old days and its railway goes from Retiro up to Delta Station, in Tigre, covering a 15 km distance. It arrived in San Isidro in 1891, and was built with English materials and blueprints, after the style of British stations; it worked until 1961.

After a refurbishing process on the original stations and the construction of new ones, the service was reopened in the year 1995; all the stations were made more confortable and last-generation rolling material was incorporated.

San Isidro Station is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful; it has opened galleries with shops, movie theatres, restaurants, playroom for children, supermarket, etc., in an elegant good-tasted atmosphere, located on J. B. de La Salle and Del Barco Centenera Stts.

San Isidro Racetrack
The San Isidro Racetrack was opened on December the 8th of 1935, and it is one of the most significant in America. It belongs to the Jockey Club and has wooded areas, two racetracks for professional races, and a betting zone with state-of-the-art technology. Its three stands, official, paddock and popular, can receive up to 100000 visitors distributed on six stands.

Likewise, the compound contains halls mostly with a racetrack view that can be used, after filing procedures, for parties and events. Besides, there are other important installations, such as the Tattersal, where business meetings are arranged, the restaurant and sweetshop located before the training track, are also part of this equestrian estate.

Despite the fact that horse races take place on Wednesdays and on certain weekends, the establishment stays open every day since it operates as a booking agency handling bets when there are no races; therefore, you can visit it whenever you wish. It is situated on Santa Fe and Bernabe Marquez Av.

Church of Our Lady of Fatima
It was built in the year 1957 as designed by architects Ellis and Craveri; it took simple materials to build it, but its architectonic features make it a notable work. It stands out for having a look other than that commonly expected for a temple.

It can be visited every day from 8:00 till 12:00 hours, and from 14:00 till 20:00 hours. It is located on 13.900 El Libertador Av, corner with Alvear.