The city of La Plata, located in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has a long and storied history. Founded in 1882 as the new capital of the province, La Plata has undergone many changes and events over the past 140 years that have shaped it into the city it is today.
When and why was La Plata founded?
La Plata was founded in 1882 as the new capital of the province of Buenos Aires. Prior to this, the city of Buenos Aires had served as the capital of the province. However, by the late 19th century, Buenos Aires had grown substantially in size and economic importance. The province wanted a new administrative capital that was separate from the large port city of Buenos Aires.
After selecting the location of La Plata about 56 km southeast of Buenos Aires, provincial governor Dardo Rocha commissioned the design and construction of the new capital city. It was planned and built from scratch to serve as a proper provincial capital, with guidelines for wide avenues, public squares, and important civic buildings. The name La Plata means “silver” in Spanish, a reference to the River Plate (Río de la Plata in Spanish) which borders Buenos Aires.
Key events in La Plata’s history
Here are some of the major events and milestones that have occurred in La Plata over the past 140 years:
1882 – Formal founding of La Plata
As mentioned, La Plata was formally founded in 1882 as the new provincial capital. The Governor marked the city limits, and the planned construction began on government buildings, infrastructure, and housing.
1884 – Inauguration of the Governor’s Palace
Just two years after La Plata’s founding, the grand neo-Gothic Governor’s Palace was inaugurated in 1884. This remains one of the most iconic buildings in La Plata today, housing the provincial government offices.
1887 – Opening of La Plata’s first theater
The Teatro Argentino de La Plata opened in 1887, becoming the first major theater in the young city. It was an important addition to the cultural life of the new capital and provided a venue for theater, music, and opera.
1889 – Founding of La Plata’s first university
The Universidad Nacional de La Plata was founded in 1889, less than 10 years after the city itself was established. This public university bolstered La Plata’s reputation as an intellectual and educational center.
1932 – Inauguration of the city’s cathedral
The Cathedral of La Plata began construction in the 1880s, but was not fully completed until 1932. This grand neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church dominates the city’s skyline and serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of La Plata.
1952 – Eva Perón’s address
In 1951, Eva Perón gave a famous speech in La Plata while campaigning for her husband Juan Perón’s reelection. She spoke from the balcony of the Governor’s Palace to an audience of hundreds of thousands of supporters. This event grew Eva’s legend and was memorialized in the musical Evita.
1983 – Democratic election of mayor
In 1983, after Argentina’s return to democracy, La Plata held its first free mayoral elections since the 1950s. Julio Alfonso was elected mayor by popular vote, beginning a new democratic era for the city.
2002 – La Plata hosts the South American Games
La Plata had the honor of hosting the 10th South American Games in 2002. Around 4000 athletes competed across 38 sports. This was the city’s first time hosting a major international sporting event.
Recent history – Population growth
Over the past few decades, La Plata has continued to grow in population and urban expansion. From a population of about 223,000 in 1980, the city has grown to nearly 770,000 residents today. Its economy and infrastructure have developed to accommodate this growth.
Geography and climate
La Plata is located on the pampas flatlands of central Argentina, near the Atlantic coast. It has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The average annual temperature is around 17°C (63°F). It sees approximately 1,000 mm (39 inches) of rainfall per year, fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.
City layout and planning
La Plata was planned from its inception in the late 19th century to have a rational geometric grid layout. The city design was inspired by earlier planned cities like Barcelona and Savannah, with diagonal avenues crisscrossing the regular grid streets. La Plata has one of the most extensive diagonal intersection grids in the world.
The city centers around Plaza Moreno, with key buildings like the Governor’s Palace, cathedral, and museums lining the plaza and adjacent blocks. Wide avenues extend from the plaza, including the 14 lane Avenida 7, one of the widest urban thoroughfares in the world.
Economy and transportation
La Plata has a diversified economy that includes industries, commerce, finance, education, and government activity. Many major roads and railways pass through or terminate in La Plata, making it a regional transportation hub. The Port of La Plata serves cargo ships and provides a key link to Buenos Aires and other cities.
Some key economic sectors include:
- Government – As the provincial capital, government administration and services drive the economy.
- Education – The city has six major universities and many schools.
- Industry – Food processing, metallurgy, machinery, and petrochemical plants.
- Services – Banking, health care, tourism, and retail business.
- Agriculture – With surrounding farmland, agricultural production is important.
Culture and arts
As a cosmopolitan capital city, La Plata has a thriving arts and culture scene. It is home to multiple theatre companies, museums, music venues, and cultural institutions. Some highlights include:
- Teatro Argentino – Historic opera house and performing arts center from the 1880s.
- Museo de Bellas Artes – Renowned fine arts museum.
- Pasaje Dardo Rocha – Pedestrian shopping walkway with plazas and artwork.
- La Plata Symphony Orchestra – Professional symphony orchestra founded in 1946.
- Multiple institutes and schools for visual arts, theatre, music and dance.
La Plata also has a vibrant nightlife, with bars, nightclubs, and live music venues concentrated in the downtown area. It attracts creative and artistic talent from throughout Argentina.
Sports
As the capital of the province, La Plata is home to some of Argentina’s most popular and successful sports teams. Key professional teams include:
| Team | Sport | League |
|---|---|---|
| Estudiantes | Football (Soccer) | Argentine Primera División |
| Gimnasia | Football (Soccer) | Argentine Primera División |
| La Plata FC | Football (Soccer) | Primera B Metropolitana |
| Estudiantil Porteño | Handball | Liga Nacional de Handball |
| Los Titanes | Basketball | La Liga Argentina |
The city also has major sports venues including the 53,000 seat Estadio Único stadium used for football matches. The passion for sports runs deep in La Plata.
Famous people from La Plata
Many famous Argentinians over the years have called La Plata home. This includes:
- Guillermo Vilas – Professional tennis player, winner of 4 Grand Slam singles titles in the 1970s.
- Dardo Rocha – La Plata founder and provincial governor who envisioned and planned the new capital city.
- Juan Manuel Fangio – Legendary Formula One race car driver, won 5 world championships in the 1950s.
- Alfonsina Storni – Prominent poet who was one of Argentina’s first major feminist writers.
- Maria Elena Walsh – Beloved children’s author, songwriter and writer.
- Cesar Milstein – Biochemist known for his Nobel Prize-winning work on monoclonal antibodies.
The diverse contributions of these and other famous natives have helped shape La Plata’s identity.
Historic monuments
As a planned city, La Plata was designed with many monumental buildings in key civic locations. Some historic monuments include:
- The Governor’s Palace
- La Plata Cathedral
- Pasaje Dardo Rocha
- Palacio Municipal (City Hall)
- Teatro Argentino
- Museo de Ciencias Naturales
- Casa de Gobierno Provincial
These grand Neo-Gothic, Neo-Classical and other notable buildings from the late 1800s contribute to La Plata’s unique architecture and urban design.
Tourism
While not as famous as Buenos Aires, La Plata receives a fair number of tourists each year who come to see its historic sites, museums, architecture and cultural offerings. Some top attractions include:
- Plaza Moreno – The city’s main square surrounded by cathedral and museums.
- Paseo del Bosque – A large urban forest park with trails, a lake and zoo.
- Museo de Bellas Artes – World-class fine arts museum.
- Casa Curutchet – Home designed by famed architect Le Corbusier.
- Pasaje Dardo Rocha – Historic shopping walkway.
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Latinoamericano – Modern art museum.
- Teatro Argentino – Ornate opera house from the 1800s.
La Plata has a good range of hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping to serve visitors. It makes an interesting alternative side-trip to the bustling city of Buenos Aires which is just an hour away by bus or train.
Education
As the capital city of Buenos Aires province, La Plata is home to some of Argentina’s best universities and research institutions. The city has an intellectual and academic atmosphere. Important institutions include:
- Universidad Nacional de La Plata – One of Argentina’s top public universities, founded in 1897.
- Universidad Católica de La Plata – Major private Catholic university.
- Universidad de La Plata – Another public university focused on the arts.
- Multiple teacher training colleges and technical schools.
- Major scientific research centers and institutes.
There are also around 300 primary and secondary schools in the greater La Plata region. Education has always been a priority in the city’s development.
Conclusion
La Plata has come a long way since its founding in 1882 as a purpose-built provincial capital city. It has developed into a vibrant cultural, economic and educational hub in Argentina with a unique architectural identity. From its early beginnings, through major historical events in the 20th century like the rise of Peronism, to recent decades of growth, La Plata’s history is inextricably tied to that of the nation. The city has produced famous athletes, scientists, artists and leaders who have made an impact well beyond La Plata. While embracing its heritage, today La Plata is a thriving modern city that continues to be a highlight of Argentina’s urban landscape.