Brit Weaver spends some time with Hacha y Machete, a band that performs regularly on the Buenos Aires subte (B line), livening up commuters’ journeys with their Latin and Caribbean-influenced sound.

Camera & editing: Hans Fresen

Argentina has one of the most vibrant and bustling underground music scenes in the world, a maze of bands, venues and musicians that can be overwhelming for the uninitiated.

Las Visitas, a new project on crowd funding site Ideame, pairs 24 journalists with 24 bands to produce a survey of the independent music scene in Argentina and a guide for its exploration.

"Unpluged" (Image courtsey of Santi Pozzi)

The project commissions a renowned journalist to follow a group of musicians of their choice for an extended period of time and produce an in-depth portrait. Las Visitas will publish the collection of articles as a 400-page book with the intention of painting an extensive picture of the underground music scene in Argentina.

Las Visitas describes itself on its website as “the most ambitious and dense independent editorial project in the history of the Argentine underground scene.”.

The journalists involved are in agreement. “This is more than just an article. The length allows to go much more in depth and by following one band for a while you get to see and feel a lot more things than during an interview,” explains Nicolás Miranda, a music journalist and presenter at Radio Nacional FM who follows Morbo y Mambo for the project.

Live music (Photo courtsey of Pablo Occhiuzzi)

The idea is for the book to be written by those who understand the intricacies and subtlety of the Buenos Aires music scene the best, those who are able to reveal the complicity of small bars and parties far from the mainstream and share it with their readers.

These are journalists and writers who by profession turn what they see, feel and hear into words but who also by pure passion and curiosity are always on the look out for new sounds and experiences.

The idea for Las Visitas came from editor Juan Manuel Daza, who first experimented with poetry before becoming a successful rock journalist, and later helping to fund a publishing company and creating the Rocanpoetry Festival. He has also written for major publications Clarín and Rolling Stone and has two radio programs on Nacional Rock. Daza says he hopes Las Visitas will be the first in a series that would extend beyond Argentina’s borders and include artists from across Latin America.

Las Visitas aims to go to print in December. It offers various packages for pre-sale on the Latin American crowdfunding platform idea.me. These include one or several books, invitations to the launch party, and even having your name printed in the book as one of the contributors.

There are only a few days left to support this project – to donate or find more info click: http://idea.me/proyecto/285/lasvisitas

Santoro, owner of the boxing club, observes his students. (Photo: Brian Funk)

Every day 16-year-old Luis packs his sports bag, leaves his home in Burzaco, and travels to Constitución. He walks round the side of the station and makes his familiar journey underground. But Luis isn’t heading for the subte. He will pass through a ‘No Entry’ sign and jog down a rickety staircase, hit by an aroma of sweat and the rhythmic sounds of fists hitting fabric, before reaching his final destination: the underground boxing gym in Constitución station.

Luis wants to be a boxing champion. He is one of 20 young men who travel kilometres along the Ferrocarriles railway every day to arrive in the clandestine Ferrobaires Gimnasio. This is no sleek Palermo gym and Constitución is no Palermo. Above ground, crowds of people shove through the grimy station plaza, heading in to the city centre or out to the provinces while beneath their feet, men and boys jab, punch and sweat to the rhythm of the trains.

This is no ordinary boxing gym. While some come here just to exercise, for others it is a place of refuge. The Ferrobaires Gimnasio is a workshop where men become boxers, turning themselves into something – and someone – different. Under the paternal gaze of trainers Alberto Santoro and Emilio Castillo, boxers submit themselves to gruelling routines, feinting, jabbing, and punching until it is time to head back above ground and start the long journey home again.

“We have a lot of boys coming from La Plata, they travel about 70km by train. Every day boys come here on the train to Constitución, every day,” says Alberto Santoro.

Santoro is the founder of this gym. The greying former boxer watches quietly as young men clatter down the stairs, hugging and kissing each other on the cheek before slinging down their sports bags and assuming their daily positions. There is no pattern to the group that come here to train, and no single motivation bringing them back every day to this subterranean gym.

“There are kids that come from the street to practise,” he says. “We have one boy who came from the streets, and because of us including him here, he is retaking school. They like to come here every day because they can wash. They’ve learnt that they need to wash every day, stay clean, eat, and go to school. You can imagine that this makes us very proud.”

Luis, a dedicated, up-and-coming underground boxer. (Photo: Brian Funk)

Luis is not from a shantytown. Some of his friends go to school, others don’t, but Luis wants to be different. On Sunday he will fight for the Buenos Aires junior cup in Flores, and today he will continue his daily routine to take him one step closer to his dream.

“I want to be a champion, I train everyday to get somewhere,” he says, slowly winding a reel of white tape around his hands. “I’m in love with boxing.

“I’ve changed a lot since I started. You can’t imagine what I was like before. Before I didn’t know what to do, I’d sit in my house all day. Now I train.”

Training in this gym is about more than just learning to box. From the history professor who trains here, to the boys from the streets, all are part of something more important than exercise, something documentary maker Jakob Weingartner knows a lot about.

Weingartner directed the 2010 documentary ‘Boxeo Constitución’, filmed in the first incarnation of the Ferrobaires Gimnasio in another area of the station. He knows better than most the daily rituals, hopes, and triumphs of Constitución’s underground boxers.

“Many times, when I went down there I felt that either it was like a monastery or like an assembly line,” he says. “Just look at the different stations a boxer has to go through during his training; you reassemble your whole body, and by re-assembling your body, you also re-assemble your identity.”

New boxer, Mariano, is beginning his own re-assembly process next to a faded punch bag. As the three-minute bell rings through the small space, he starts a rhythmic dance, feinting and dodging imaginary opponents. Around him other boxers skip feverishly, staring fiercely into the middle distance while others jab at the punch bags swinging from the low ceiling. After three minutes, the bell will ring again and everyone will move to the next routine.

“Everyone here has a routine,” says 35-year-old Jorge. “Everyone has their own but we all start and finish with the same things.”

Routine and discipline are the most important elements of this gym. This is no basement fight club, full of savage violence. Before a boxer can enter the ring, he must first learn his own body.

“The first thing I teach them is to stop and to walk in a rhythm,” says trainer Emilio Castillo. “I take away their hands, after that, well all the kids are different.”

Castillo is the brother of champion Mario Castillo, whose photos adorn the walls. Like Santoro, he is a former boxer and Ferrobaires rail employee. Both men spend their afternoons in the gym and their mornings above ground, working for the railways, which carry thousands of Argentines to and from the outskirts of the city every day.

The ‘Fraternidad’ union and Ferrobaires train company are central to this gym, and the power structure behind it. It lies in the middle of a darker culture of union politics and political struggles, in which the fighting below ground mirrors a deeper political struggle going on overhead. The original gimnasio featured in Weingartner’s documentary closed following the deadly 2010 Unión Ferroviaria protests and the death of protestor Mariano Ferreyra, leaving Santoro to establish the gym in another part of the underground warren beneath the train tracks. It is hard to escape the feeling that bigger currents of power swirl above this place.

For Santoro, Castillo, and their group of young disciples, however, this gym is a sanctuary from the world above ground. The two trainers are both father figures and friends to their boxers. They know that their chances of making it are slim and that the men in their gym need lives and dreams outside of the world of boxing.

“For the kids that come here, it’s important that they work or they study, apart from boxing. These boys have to have an occupation, though they come here to box.

“Boxing is a sport with a very short life span. If they aren’t prepared for anything else, what are they going to do?” says Santoro.

Weingartner agrees. “Boxers are not stupid, they know that it’s a one in a million shot that you’re going to make it out of the villa just with your fists. They know that Rocky is just a movie.”

Despite this, the men and boys at this gym keep coming back. Maybe because they learn more here than just how to punch. Castillo can’t be sure, but thinking about their future he shrugs and smiles, “I think considering where we are, in this gym, in this area at this time, we’re doing pretty well.”

A passionate boxer concentrates on his moves. (Photo: Brian Funk)

If you’re fashion hungry, and prepared to veer off the well trodden fashion circuit, Buenos Aires provides a veritable sartorial feast, with the city becoming ever more colourful and exciting of late in terms of new creative talent offering a private shopping experience behind closed doors.

The alternative to high-end boutique design, until recently, had always been market style clothes stands, offering cheap substitutes but with increasingly generic design and poor quality confection, and synonymous with the tourist trap of Plaza Serrano. In recent years, the price tags of some of the more established Argentine fashion houses has rocketed. They have allowed the increasingly overinflated peso and the approval of an elite status-hungry Argentine client base go to their heads, yet at a cost. Many local designers are now deemed too pricey, even by international standards, to tempt a tourist into buying.

As a direct result, many young emerging fashion designers or vintage clothing sellers are shunning the crippling rents of commercial spaces, in favour of small flats or studios in unmarked private apartment blocks dotted around the city. The fact that they are still honouring the fashion conscious stomping grounds of Las Cañitas, Palermo and Jardin Botánico in their location choices makes their showrooms accessible both in terms of location and price. They also maintain exclusivity, due to their appointment only policy (in some cases) or address on request protocol.

What makes the experience both so personal and memorable is that the showrooms are generally run by the designers themselves, passionate about what they do and invariably down to earth and buena onda. Regardless of whether you leave laden with bags as you bask in your fleeting Alicia Silverstone ‘Clueless’ moment, or empty handed with a smile from ear to ear (having tried on countless outfits and with an impossible wish-list that eclipses the measurement of your inner thigh) they just want to ensure you leave happy and tell your friends. Social networking (especially ‘feizbuk’) is their most effective advertising platform through word of mouth and recommendation.

Here is a selection of my favourite showrooms:

Blackmamba T-shirts and jackets (courtesy of Blackmamba)

Blackmamba

Run by the adorable Bianca, with her two partners in crime, Rocío and Facundo, this label is a force to be reckoned with. Having just opened the doors of their space to the public in April after an impressively slick inaugural runway show of the A/W 2012 collection, the label is fast developing a name for itself : think beautiful leather design, limited edition pieces and fierce accessories. An eclectic mix of cultural influences with a nod to the early 90s, black magic and pentacles combined with bang up-to-date soft palettes and sharp tailoring make this label stand apart. Highlights are the felt and oh-so-buttery-soft leather mix biker jackets, irresistible one-off amulet jewellery collection (with new and varied stock every visit!) and beautifully handmade chelsea boots and velvet platform wedges. The menswear is a perfect excuse to drag a male friend along or shamelessly style your boyfriend by buying him gifts.

No appointment required. Thames 2110 1 ‘D’. Tues-Fri 11am-9pm, Mon & Sat 2-9pm

Maison Abbey dress and accessories (courtesy of Maison Abbey)

Maison Abbey

Run by two girls from Uruguay, this showroom works as a concession for a number of independent Uruguayan designers as well as local upcoming Argentine designers. There is a cross-section of stock, from meticulously embroidered evening wear to more casual day wear and accessories. Look out for bang on trend lace up platform brogues by Potatoe, Mina Ezqueirra’s incredible red wedges and this season’s must have floor length skirts, in a variety of colours and fabrics. Handbag designer Le Boix’s creations are a reasonable must, with the tartan tote getting a thumbs up for its lush design as well as its price tag.

Gurruchaga 1974, PB 1. Tues-Sat 12-8pm. No appointment required.

Vendaval

Vendaval is doing things very much DIY. Recycling select vintage garments and adding a fresh approach with subtle alterations, transforming pieces from outmoded to ahead of the trend. Lovers of 90s cultural references makes for a jewellery collection brimming with lusted-after pieces: their shirt collar accessories with crucifixes and mock silver ear cuffs with drop details are hot property.

Call/message to check times/location details.

Bimba Vintage dress and accessories (courtesy of Bimba Vintage)

Bimba Vintage

Bimba is a tangible incarnation of what a dream dressing up box would look like. Jazmín Rodríguez, recent first time mummy and model/presenter, has turned her hand and exquisite eye to this showroom and no detail is overlooked, down to the delectable labels and carefully selected one-off vintage pieces, every one of which has a story to tell. Unlike the mixed bag that ferias americanas offer across the city, Jazmín has a stock that reflects current trends: there are no ‘fillers’ here, you’d be hard pushed not to want to force her to pack up shop and hand over her entire stock to you in one fell swoop. She boasts a celebrity following too: Alexa Chung bought four pieces when she was in BA recently shooting for MTV.

Appointment only. Contact to arrange a time/for location details.

Pippy Miller

Their first collection has sold out three times over in as many weeks of the showroom being open. But these girls know what they’re doing. Their exuberance for their product is infectious, and with good reason. The full-length, homemade tie-dye skirts, slouchy tops and flared leggings are to die for: in lightweight cotton jersey and especially in this seasons hot colours of mustard and maroon, they look sensational.

Message first to check opening times/location details, but no appointment required.

Blit Bags

These bags are predominantly geared towards the US market, retailing in department stores such as Free People and Fred Seagal, but in Argentina Blit run a modest showroom, selling their trademark baby soft leather bags at trade prices to locals and clued-up tourists. The bags are both stylish and functional, each with a myriad of pockets and compartments for practical needs, while boasting 100% colourful silk linings and vibrant colours.

Appointment needed. Message to arrange a time/for address details.

The Association of the Union of Workers is protesting all this week against the rise in the cost of subte fares by opening the turnstiles in selected underground lines to allow passengers to ride for free.

The turnstiles will be open today through Friday during the morning and afternoon rush hour.

Stations that will not be charging for tickets from 7am to 10am are: Carabobo and Miserere on Line A; Los Incas and Lacroze on Line B; Constitución and Retiro on Line C; Congreso de Tucumán and Juramento on Line D; Bolívar and Plaza de los Virreyes on Line E; and Once on Line H.

In the afternoon between 4pm and 7pm, the following stations will be open for free rides: Plaza de Mayo and Perú on Line A; Leandro N. Alem and Florida on Line B; Retiro and Constitución on Line C; Catedral and Pueyrredón on Line D; Plaza de los Virreyes and Bolívar on Line E; and Once on Line H.

Fares rose last Friday from $1.10 to $2.50 on all the undergrounds in the City of Buenos Aires.

Photo courtesy of Zenzoria

The music is cut and the lights go up, focusing on the octagonal steel cage in the middle of the club. Inside two fighters circle each other warily, under the watchful eye of the referee.

The crowd waits in silence, anticipating the imminent explosion of action and combat. Finally one of the fighters makes a move, lunging towards his opponent in an attempt to take him to the floor and gain the upper hand. He is successful; both fighters hit the ground and grapple desperately to gain an advantage. Absolute concentration is vital; any lapse results in a strong strike to the head or abdomen, or worse. Every punch, every kick is greeted by an approving murmur from the crowd.

Suddenly there is a break in the deadlock: one combatant has manoeuvred himself successfully and wrapped his arm around his opponent’s neck, constricting the flow of blood and air to the brain. He tries desperately to free himself, flailing wildly with his fists in an attempt to break the hold. But it is no use; with oxygen levels rapidly depleting he has no choice but to submit.

The winner springs up in triumph while the medics rush in to check the well-being of the defeated opponent. But there is nothing to worry about; the only thing that has been hurt today is his pride. The referee gathers both fighters in the middle of the ring and raises the arm of the champion, while the crowd is on its feet sounding their appreciation.

The next fight is in fifteen minutes, in which the whole performance will be repeated once more. Welcome to the world of Realfights MMA, Argentine Ultimate Fighting.

When you think of sport in Argentina, one word comes to mind: Fútbol. Reading the local newspapers you would be forgiven for thinking sport in Buenos Aires begins and ends with the barras bravas or the tribulations of El Diego.

In fact there is a small yet thriving mixed martial arts (MMA) scene in the city, and if the event I attended is any indication then the future of the sport is very promising indeed.

The event was organised by promoters Realfights Argentina, whose president is porteño Eugenio “Eushie” Sangiorgio. Eugenio spent 11 years living in the US, where he was introduced to American MMA promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). UFC promotions are full of music and spectacle, and Eugenio admits this style of event was a key influence: “What I wanted to do with Realfights is create an Argentine version of UFC; create the same buzz and excitement around mixed martial arts here. But there are certain differences. Our promotions are definitely more underground than and not as commercial as UFC promotions, although everything is above ground in terms of medical cover and insurance for the fighters.”

Photo courtesy of Zenzoria

With this in mind, two-and-a-half years ago he started Realfights with friends from the Buenos Aires martial arts scene; the group to date has hosted six MMA events, all of which have been sold out.

Watching the fights it is clear that the razzmatazz of UFC has been transplanted into Realfights. Grinding American hip hop is blared out between fights, while between rounds scantily-clad girls parade around the ring holding numbered cards, to the obvious delight of the audience. The audience is fairly homogenous; male, between the ages of 20 and 40, with martial arts backgrounds.

At the event itself no alcohol is served, although Eugenio maintains that this is more to do with lack of demand rather than any security issues: “Its usually the case with these guys who are into martial arts that they never drink, never smoke, all eat healthily and this is as true of the audiences as the fighters themselves. My wife is Russian, and she can’t believe that when I meet with my friends we will sit around drinking milkshakes instead of beers, for her this is very strange!”

A glance at those in the audience confirms this; the atmosphere is one of appreciation and respect for what the fighters are doing, the kind of respect which stems from having an intimate knowledge of the art you are observing.

Mixed Martial Arts, or Vale Tudo/Todo as it is also known, originated as a stand-alone sport in Brazil in the 1920s. The modern, safer version of MMA however dates back only to 1993 with the advent of the UFC, with the stated aim of discovering which martial arts were most effective when pitted against each other. Vale Tudo can be translated as “Anything goes” in Portuguese, and this is an accurate description of the sport. Rules vary, but generally most attacks will be permitted; with only the most dangerous acts such as eye-gouging outlawed.

To the casual observer the fights can appear barbaric, reminiscent of such antiquated pastimes as bare-knuckle boxing. Even commentators from other martial arts have criticised the sport as being dangerous and gratuitously violent. British boxing promoter Frank Warren has said of MMA: “Certain members of the public would buy a ticket for a public hanging. Extreme fighters wouldn’t last five minutes with a proper, schooled boxer. Boxing is an art, a way of life. That ultimate fighting stuff is for guys who chuck steroids down their neck, pump weights in the gym and get out of breath after a couple of minutes. I hope it doesn’t catch on.”

Eugenio refutes these accusations, arguing that “there is no truth in this because (the critics) often don’t know what they are watching; they can’t appreciate the subtlety of the art. It does often look brutal, I admit, but every precaution is taken to ensure safety.”

Photo by Dan Edwards

A few days after the promotion I went to see Eugenio at his gym in Villa Crespo. The gym was full of youths training intensely, hitting punch bags, skipping and practising martial arts holds and techniques. Eugenio informs me that serious competitors train every day for three hours, year-round to be in shape. “All of these guys know they’re not going to become rich off the back of MMA, but still take it very seriously, they are here every day training. To do this sport you need to know at least four martial arts- Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling and Jiu Jitsu, and you need to be proficient in all of them or we wont let you compete.”

MMA in Argentina is still in its infancy, an underground cult rather than a mainstream sport à la UFC. However the sport is steadily growing,. More and more people are becoming involved with training and more events are staged on a larger scale. The impression I received was that this is a movement open to everyone, martial art novice or maestro; the only requirement is to be dedicated and willing to train hard, pushing your body to its limit. The success of the Realfights promotions also demonstrates that a substantial audience exists for this type of event; to sell out a 1,500 capacity venue on a Sunday night is no mean feat.

For Eugenio, this growth has a very simple explanation: “People watch Mixed Martial Arts, they get involved and compete because it is the closest thing to real fighting you can legally see. The guys are in the cage, closed off and they can do anything they need to in order to win.”

Eugenio’s gym ‘Fight Club Extreme V.C’ is located on Camargo 284, Villa Crespo, and offers as well as MMA training classes in various martial arts.

Visit www.realfightsmma.com for news of upcoming fights, as well pictures and videos from previous promotions.

Photo by Anette Berve

While the neon lights of Corrientes may seem inviting, there is a whole other scene in town to be discovered, one without billboards and big names. Alternative theatre in the capital is hotter than ever, with avant-garde plays and actors displaying their work in original spaces.It is a space for experimentation, education and growth for the future entertainers, something that creates an interesting mix of displays sometimes too abstract to be understood, so raw and extreme and on the verge or appropriate.

It is said Buenos Aires has enough shows to entertain its spectators through a whole year, non-stop. Avenida Corrientes is the Broadway of Argentina, and at one point even put on more shows in a weekend than New York.

The origin of independent theatre

Alternative theatre is also known as ‘off’ or ‘underground’ theatre. Here in Argentina the movement was labelled ‘independent’ at first and the first wave of such theatres emerged as early as the 1930s, known as Teatro del Pueblo, the people’s theatre.

Carlos Fos, an investigator and historian from Teatro San Martín, explains how independent theatres served a purpose the popular theatres couldn’t fill. How the spaces became more educational, and it was not just about entertaining, but about conveying a message.

Photo by Anette Berve

“The independent theatre has an aesthetic difference from bigger productions,” says Fos. “Theatre evolved naturally with the emergence of a new sort of spectators and new poets and became the new language of theatre.”

Although this era of independent theatre historically ended in the 1970s, the interest and fascination has continued, re-emerging as the alternative theatre we know today.

Ring the doorbell

“This type of theatre is very new for a lot of people, and I believe it has become a positive space of experimentation for young actors and dancers,” says Francisco Donovan, poet and actor in the play ‘Familiar – traces of a tragedy’. He explains that he sees alternative theatre as breaking the rules, creating a rupture. “I believe it is often socially critical, also an opposition to the elitist and intellectual circle we see in regular theatre these days.”

An interesting aspect of the alternative theatre scene is the election of spaces to display the different shows. It ranges between everything from cultural centres, cafés, bookstores, subte stations, bars or private houses, where ‘Familiar’ is displayed. The play is acted out as the spectators are taken around the house, to the kitchen, bathroom and living room.

“The creation of the space and scene is important for a play, as it is a part of the narration,” explains Donovan. “I don’t think ‘Familiar’ could be acted out in any other place, the house is the perfect setting.”

Struggling actors

“Alternative theatre gives and artistic liberty,” says Ulrico Eguizábal, actor in the play ‘Pathos, a search for lost emotions’, a play of a different genre, called dance-theatre.

Eguizábal started off studying law, but switched career after having taken dance lessons, a form of expression that came more natural to him than diving into books. “I am interested in composition and choreography of dance and theatre, and my dream is ultimately to do my own play: a monologue,” he reveals.

Photo by Anette Berve

But both Donovan and Eguizábal explain that there is little money in alternative theatre, and that it is seen almost more as a part of the educational process than a life-long career.

“I need to get actual experience and not just take classes,” Eguizábal  explains. “So I have to get out there and dance and act, but none of the stuff that I am doing really pays anything, and without payment it is hard to get everything to go around.”

He explains that for a play, it is all about publicity and audience. “I actually believe ‘Pathos’ has the potential to go big and more commercial, that it has the right elements and that we can end it big on Corrientes.”

“Even though there is a conflict of interest between the small productions and the commercial Corrientes, I’d love to go big,” reveals Donovan. “The big productions are seen as more serious and more professional in the end. And there is more money.”

Fos, however, believes thatindependent theatres will never have the same success as the bigger theatres, ‘but will still serve a great cultural purpose’.

“I believe theatre is a great way of communicating,” says Donovan. “The physical association with the public is the best way of communicating something. When musicians leave their legacy through music, we as writers and actors we leave our footprints in words.”

www.alternativateatral.com has a wide range of some of the alternative performances out there, here’s a quick breakdown on the main alternative theatre venues out there:

Where to go:

El Porton de Sanchez: Sanchez de Bustamante 1034
Espacio cultural Pata de Ganso: Zelaya 3122
Centro Cultural Rojas: Corrientes 2038
El Camarin de las Musas: Mario Bravo 960
Patio de Actores: Lerma 568
Puerta Roja: Lavalle 3636
Andamio 90: Paraná 660
El Piso: Hidalgo 878

Photo courtesy of El Zanjon

Buenos Aires – a city so good they founded it twice. Both times, it was founded by Spanish explorers, most recently in 1580, and first time around in 1536 – but the remains were never discovered of the first settlement.

That is, not until 1985 when an Argentine private  company purchased a 19th century property now known as El Zanjon  in San Telmo and accidentally uncovered what is now considered to be the most important archaeological site of the city. Lying hidden beneath the building lay the tunnels of the old city that had covered one of the two creeks which can be seen in the old city maps that survived.

After twenty years of excavation and restoration, El Zanjon and its neighbour Casa Mínima are now open to the public in the form of guided tours and special events, and you are invited to relive the history of Buenos Aires through the stories that that have been played out in these buildings, over the last 465 years.

El Zanjon lies hidden in the heart of the city’s oldest barrio, San Telmo. In the 19th century San Telmo was home to the wealthiest porteños, but many of the houses fell into ruin after its residents fled the area, perhaps never to return, during the yellow fever epidemic of 1871. This house was divided into tenements over the years and eventually the building declined into such a poor state that it became derelict.

Photo courtesy of El Zanjon

Now, after 20 years of meticulously excavating, restoring and converting the building, the owners have proudly opened the doors to the public.

Tours begin in the light and airy foyer where the guide explains the history of the area before leading you down to the tunnels of El Zanjon where you can also see the old foundations, walls, floors and water wells all built and some destroyed between 1730 and 1865. The images that the guide conjures up with her tales of the city in the olden days are helpfully portrayed in beautifully displayed paintings and maps of the old Buenos Aires, or Buenos Ayres as it was known back then. The standard of the restoration is very impressive and no expense has been spared in the quest to preserve this important piece of history. If you get the chance to visit in the next few months, you can also view a section of the tunnels which is in the process of being renovated and it makes an interesting comparison with the trendy exposed brickwork of the restored area.

El Zanjon de Granados, is on Defensa 755 San Telmo. For more information about the guided tours, call 4361 3002 or email turismo@elzanjon.com.ar or visit www.elzanjon.com.ar