Cordoba, the city is the capital of the Cordoba Province. It was founded in 1573 and named after Cordoba in Spain. It is situated on the Suquia River, in the geographical center of Argentina. The National University of Cordoba is the oldest in the country. It was founded by Jesuits. In 2000, the Jesuit Block, a cluster of 17th century buildings, was declared a World Heritage Site. There are large open, green spaces in the city, several museums and open air arts and crafts markets. Outside of the city, there are quaint villages with interesting histories and annual festivals.
Sarmiento Park
Late in the 19th Century, the rapidly growing city of Cordoba needed an open, green space. It took from 1890 to 1911 to create the 70 hectare park which was named after former President Domingo Sarmiento. It is the largest open space in Cordoba and close to the heart of the city center. The shade from its enormous trees create a welcome refuge in summer. Rose gardens, water features and an amphitheatre with 2000 seats, developed at its inception, are still in existence. The Sarmiento Park houses the zoo and duck lake, benches and sculptures. There are miles of cycling tracks and facilities for 10 other sports.
Evita Fine Arts Museum
Between 1912 and 1916, Dr Martin Ferreyra, a physician and owner of limestone quarries, built his mansion facing onto Sarmiento Park. Subsequent owners made alterations to the structure. A striking feature is the central hall which is 20 meters high. In 2005, it was expropriated for the purposes of creating a fine arts museum and named after Evita Peron, wife of former President Juan Peron. The Evita Fine Arts Museum owns over 500 works done by artists of the Province of Cordoba. There are 12 permanent and several temporary exhibitions, a library and an auditorium which seats 2000 people.
Emilio Caraffa Fine Arts Museum
Emilio Caraffa Fine Arts Museum which also faces onto Sarmiento Park was established in 1915 as the Provincial Fine Arts Museum. In 1950 it was renamed after Emilio Caraffa, a local artist. The neoclassical building houses 1500 square meters of museum display area. There are 1100 works of artists from the late 19th century to the present day, displayed in permanent and temporary exhibitions. The archive holds files of artists, records of their works, previous exhibitions and documentaries. There is also a reference library and a store which sells books, catalogs and memorabilia. Education outreaches include tours, creative workshops and conversations with artists.
Av. Poeta Lugones 411 | X5000HZE Córdoba, Argentina, Phone: 54-35-14-34-33-48 /49
Paseo del Buen Pastor
The 10000 square meter space that is now occupied by an open air shopping gallery was once a women's prison. It was a drab structure, built in 1906. A Greek style chapel was attached to it and Emilio Caraffa and other artists decorated the chapel's interior walls with frescoes. The prison was closed in 1977 and demolished in 2005. The chapel and cloisters were retained as an arts center. Shops, bars and restaurants were built on the ruins of the prison. Large fountains occupy much of the Paseo del Buen Pastor open space. Live, open-air musical performances, puppet shows and dancing showcase emerging talent.
Villa General Belgrado
This small mountainous village is named after the designer of the Argentinian flag. In 1930 Germans were attracted to the Alpine feel of the land and settled in the area. In the 1940s several stranded German seamen joined them. They erected Bavarian style dwellings on the hill slopes. They started manufacturing German delicacies such as apple strudel, leberwurst, spätzle, and of course, beer. They opened micro breweries, patisseries and chocolate shops. The Oktoberfest is the third most notable in the world, after Munich and Blumenau in Brazil. There are German church services and newspapers, and traditions kept in this village that have been forgotten in Germany.
Villa General Belgrado, San Martín 43 (X5194), Villa General Belgrano, Córdoba
Cosquin
A short distance from Cordoba, on the banks of the Cosquin River, at the foot of the mountain, lies Cosquin, the oldest town in the Punilla Valley. It has a moderate climate, conducive to the treatment of tuberculosis. In 1900, a physician from Buenos Aires recognized its potential and established a sanitarium in the town. People from across the country were sent there to recuperate. In the 1940s, a cure was found for the disease and patients stopped coming. Due to the focus on, and the stigma of, TB, tourism was not developed. Since 1961, however the town has played host to the National Folklore Festival.
