Cabildo

Description:

• This small, white, colonial-style building with a central bell tower was the original seat of city government established by the Spaniards. The building was completed in 1751, but parts of it were demolished to create space for Avenida de Mayo and Diagonal Sur in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The remainder of the building was restored in 1939 and is worth a visit. The small informal museum displays paintings and furniture from the colonial period, and its ledges and windows allow some of the best views of the Plaza de Mayo. The Cabildo is the only remaining public building dating back to colonial times still existing on the Plaza de Mayo. Many people come here just for the changing of the guard in front every hour (which happens at a few other spots around town as well). On Thursday and Friday from 11am to 6pm, the Cabildo's back patio is home to a crafts fair.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010