Arcane Candy

Thursday, August 1, 2019
Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Swiss Cheese Building is very popular among local rodents in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Unusual columns in the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Due to ongoing sleep deprivation, I got a really late start today at around 3:30 pm, so I opted to stay in the neighborhood and moseyed a half mile down Avenue de Mayo to the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires. Since the front of the building does not really look much like a cathedral, it was difficult to find out exactly where to enter. The police barricades all along the front didn’t help much either. After circling the huge block, I finally found my way around the barricades and inside the front doors.

A small pipe organ in the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

A carving in the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“The Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires is the main Catholic church in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is located in the city center, overlooking Plaza de Mayo, on the corner of San Martín and Rivadavia streets, in the San Nicolás neighborhood. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and the primatial church of Argentina.

The interior of the Catedral Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Women stage a protest parade near the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“The Cathedral of Buenos Aires was rebuilt several times since its humble origins in the 16th century. The present building is a mix of architectural styles, with an 18th-century nave and dome and a severe, 19th-century Neoclassical façade without towers. The interior keeps precious 18th-century statues and altarpieces, as well as abundant Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque decoration.”—Wikipedia

Florida, a pedestrian-only shopping street in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

My old Kentucky home on Avenue Corrientes in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Wandering around the church in a clockwise direction, I took in a series of large paintings depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, as well as numerous small chapels, alters and other displays of Biblical characters that ranged from carvings to dolls. Even more impressive than that stuff was the intricate soaring ceilings with frescoes bathed in colored lighting. Impressive, all around. After about an hour, I exited the cathedral, where there was a women’s protest parade going on. Then I walked a few blocks over to the Kirchner Cultural Center, but decided not to enter, as it was due to close in an hour.

Words and photos ©2019 Arcane Candy.

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