PLACES TO VISIT

PARQUE SAN MARTIN

Parque General San Martin
It is part of Plaza Independencia surroundings, but San Martin square, with its manifold possibilities, is an excursion in its own right.

Its origin dates back to year 1897, with the name of the Parque del Oeste (Westside Park), although it was inaugurated in 1906 and remodelled in 1940. It is on the border of the Andes foothills.

We owe its design to French architect and landscape designer Carlos Thays, who gave it an attractive circuit of avenues and streets with more than 15 kilometres of roads that take their name from surrounding vegetation, such as the Avenidas de las Tipas Avenue, de las Palmeras Palm Avenue, de los Plátanos, Banana Trees Avenue, and others.

It is considered one of the most fine-looking and extended parks of the city. Its interior is full with beautiful gardens, sculptures, fountains, a rose garden, and a lovely water mirror where a boat navigates.

It was required to create an irrigation system in order to build it. Its surface area reaches 420 hectares, and there we can see more than 750 plant species and, at least, 50,000 trees.

The equestrian statue in the central zone is a copy of the sculpture found in Plaza San Martin square in the City of Buenos Aires. A plaque indicates the City of Mendoza's altitude above sea level: 747 meters.

The park is always open and entrance is completely gratis. It also has restaurants and eating-places. We can have excursions, guided tours to its different sites and buildings, or enjoy outdoor theatre presentations. It was declared Urban Protected Environmental Area in 1996.

It is delimited by 9 de Julio, Necochea, Gutierrez and España Streets. We can reach it directly through Emilio Civit or Boulogne Sur Mer Avenues, on foot, by bicycle or car, and by city or rented bus.

Park Gates and Sculptures
The main entrance is framed by four monumental park gates forged in iron, filigree style. They reach 10 m high and 32 m wide and were especially brought from England. The park gates, each with two leaves, are ornamented by a condor with its wings unfolded and the Mendoza coat of arms.

In front of them we find the Marly Horses, reproductions in Carrara marble of the celebrated statue in Concorde Square in Paris, done by a French firm in 1911 at the request of the City Council. Among its sculptural works we find the Continental Fountain and the Diana and Endymion Statue Group.

The Zoological Garden
It is on the slopes of Gloria mountain. It holds more than one thousand specimens of native and exotic fauna and is considered one of the most important in Argentina. It was inaugurated in 1940. The cages were built following the natural unevenness of the ground, which provides the sensation that animals are roaming free in the wilderness. Visiting hours are 09:00 to 18:00.

The Cerro de la Gloria Mountain
Called Cerro del Pilar in the days of old, it is one of the best lookouts in the City of Mendoza. It was chosen in 1911 to build the majestic "Monumento al Ejército de los Andes", on a rock base that symbolizes the craggy mountains of the Cordillera. It was finalized in 1914.

Lago
On this water mirror, 100,000 square m wide, the Mendoza Yatch Club was built in 1909. It has a typically English design and a stair that reach the water. It can be navigated in a a replica of those steamboats that sail the Mississippi. On the south end stands Lovers' Island with a picturesque arch bridge.

An excellent panoramic view of the surrounding landscape can be enjoyed while swimming in the lake. On one of the banks we find the rose garden walkway, a French style pedestrian walk boarded by gardens, and romantic pergolas where perfumed wisteria and red cantutas hang down to bless the lovers that walk by with the scent of hundreds of varieties of roses.

Then we can find the Museum of Natural Sciences in an old ship-style building of the former Playas Serranas. It exhibits a selected collection of pre-Columbian pottery, some very valuable craftworks, and displays with a zoological interest.

The Frank Romero Day Amphitheatre is in a natural ravine. Built in1940, the stage has the name of whoever was the Minister of Economy in those days.. The traditional Vendimia or Wine Making Festival is celebrated here every year.

Other Buildings
The park also lodges the Cuyo State University, the Regional Centre for Marine Studies and Technology, the Tom Thumb Miniature Theatre, the Malvinas Argentinas Soccer Stadium, The Eva Peron Orphanage, the Waterworks, the Eureka Science Park, the Observatory, the Fairgrounds and the Provincial Cycle Racing Track.

The main clubs in the park are the Andino Tennis Club, the Gymnastics and Fencing Club, the Mendoza Tenis Club, the Club Mendoza de Regatas, the Club Independiente, the Club Hipico and the Golf Club.

San Martin Passage
This charming road dates back to 1926 when Its seven-story-high tower was the first building to be build in Mendoza. It is a Cultural Patrimony of the city that is used as a commercial gallery and apartment building. It is interesting to admire the Colourful French Stained glass windows and the glazed domes of Pasaje San Martin from the inside. We can reach it through Peatonal Sarmiento 45, or through Avenida San Martin 1100.


It is an enormous epochal building opposite Pasaje San Martin. During the Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (Wine Making festival), after the central act is finished, the newly elected Queen comes out in the balcony of this building, and is entertained by a Mendoza folkloric band and the Mendoza Police Band.

Gomez Building
It is the biggest in height and horizontal building and its outline has turned out to be the icon representing the city of Mendoza. It ends in a high tower visible from different parts of town, especially by night, when it is fully illuminated, in the style of a New York skyscraper. Its building dates back to 1954. It is placed on the intersection of San Martin Ave. and Sarmiento.

Los Andes Newspaper Building
It is a yellow building, the first in town to have been built with reinforced concrete. The Board of Directors and general offices of the well-known Los Andes newspaper function here. It was founded in 1882 by Adolfo Calle. It is on San Martin Ave. 1049.

As soon as he enters Nº 7 National Route the traveller perceives the aroma of apples, pears, peaches, junto a parrales de finas uvas, a la vera de las mejores arboledas, que dan lugar a la producción de sidras, jugos y esencias en establecimientos industriales de gran importancia.