Galerías Pacífico - Buenos Aires, Argentina
Posted by: 
denben
S 34° 35.957 W 058° 22.518
21H E 373888 N 6170534
One of the most luxurious constructions in Buenos Aires, Galerías Pacífico is located at the intersection of Florida Street and Córdoba Avenue.
Waymark Code: WMD0VT
Location: Argentina
Date Posted: 11/03/2011
Views: 3
This Beaux Arts building was designed by the architects Emilio Agrelo and Roland Le Vacher in 1889 to accommodate a shop called the Argentine Bon Marché, modelled on the Le Bon Marché in Paris. In 1896 part of the building was transformed into the first home for the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and in 1908 the British-owned Buenos Aires and Pacific railway company acquired part of the building for offices.
In 1945 the building was remodelled by architects José Aslan and Héctor Ezcurra, and the offices were separated from the rest of the building. A large central cupola was constructed and decorated with 12 frescos by artists Spilimbergo, Berni, Castagnino, Colmeiro and Urruchúa. These frescos, executed in 1946, are some of the most important in Buenos Aires. In 1989 the building was declared a national historic monument.
After having been abandoned for years, the building was renovated by Juan Carlos López and Associates and re-opened in 1991 as the shopping arcade Galerías Pacífico. Four more frescos by Romulo Maccio, Josefina Robirosa, Guillermo Roux and Carlos Alonso were added to the cupola. In addition to the shopping arcade the building also contains the Jorge Luis Borges Cultural Centre and the Julio Bocca Dance Studio.
Currently the mall houses many high-end stores, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Christian Lacroix, Christian Dior, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, and La Martina, among others.
Sources: Wikipedia (
visit link) and Galerías Pacífico Website (
visit link)
I would rather go geocaching than shopping but my friend wanted to see this mall and I did not regret going with her, it was almost like a visit to an art museum.