Buenos Aires, as we know it today, was established in 1580 by the Spanish. Throughout the colonial period, the city served as a strategic port for the Spanish Empire, facilitating trade and commerce between Europe and the Americas. In the 19th century, the city played a pivotal role in Argentina's struggle for independence from Spanish rule, culminating in the May Revolution of 1810, which marked the beginning of Argentina's quest for self-governance. In the latter half of the 20th century, Buenos Aires grappled with the repercussions of authoritarian rule and economic crises in Argentina, which left lasting scars on the city's social fabric. Nowadays it's known for its preserved eclectic European architecture and rich cultural life, which, in large part, is due to the great amount of immigrants, who arrived since the 19th century from all over the world. However, the class divide in the city is also bigger than ever. While the rich live in „barrios cerrados“ (gated communities), the poor live in „villas“ (slums), scattered all across the city, sometimes under elevated highways, sometimes right across a gated community. Argentina's economic crisis has only exacerbated this divide and has turned the country, that once had one of the biggest middle classes, into one with more than half of its people living under the line of poverty.

The Palacio del Congreso (Palace of the National Congress) is a monumental building right in the heart of the city and opposite to the Congressional Plaza, often a preferred location for protesters. It was built between 1898 and 1906 and has a height of 80m, crowned by the bronze-plated, 3000 ton heavy dome.



Text adapted from Wikipedia.org