Words and Photos by Matt Dursum
San Telmo radiates history. Its buildings and alleyways have witnessed some of Argentina’s most significant and, at times, unsavory historical events. A once working class neighborhood, it’s one of the birthplaces of Argentina’s national dance Tango. Today, the neighborhood juggles its gritty charm with a booming tourism industry and somehow keeps its soul intact. To get to know the neighborhood better, I take the bus to its busy outskirts and hit the streets on foot.
In Buenos Aires’ southern districts, immigrants poured in from Europe and other parts of the world. Most of this immigration happened in the late 19th century when the country’s economy was one of the strongest in the Victorian world. When the pressures of hustling and struggling for a better life became overwhelming, people came to bars and dance halls called milongas to unwind. It was here where Afro-Cuban habanera dance blended with Spanish and Italian folk dances, including flamenco, to create the fast and rhythmic dance known as milonga and its slower and seductive cousin, the Tango.
Central San Telmo
I walk along Calle Estados Unidos towards the famous Mercado San Telmo. A taxi driver eating a sandwich passes by. He looks like a hungover Jeff Goldbloom. Giggling to myself, I go into the crowded market, a relic of Buenos Aires in the late 19th century. Today, its vegetable stands and parrilla grills cater to tourists. In the past, it was where the city’s new immigrants bought their produce. Inside its industrial walls, languages and cultures interacted, helping to forge a new culture.
I stop at one of my favorite bookstores in the city, Walrus Books. Along the walls of the old building are stacks of classics, many in Portuguese, Italian, and English. It was here in San Telmo and the poor southern neighborhoods where Lunfardo, the influential urban slang turned lingua-franca of the hip, originated. Lunfardo takes the syllables of words and reverses them, so the word tango—which uses many Lunfardo words in its lyrics—becomes gotán.
The First Buenos Aires
I cross the busy Avenida Independencia and come across a museum called El Zanjón. This restored building was once part of the area’s original 16th century Spanish settlement. It contains hundreds of feet of tunnels and relics from the city’s origins. In the 18th century, a large convent was built on top of the ruins, which later became a ruin itself after people abandoned San Telmo because of a horrendous yellow fever outbreak. When people began resettling the neighborhood, the property’s owners built a large mansion atop the ruined covenant and the buried tunnels beneath it.
I walk across the street to view Casa Minima, the thinnest house in Buenos Aires. I continue along San Lorenzo Street to the beautiful Mural Carlos Gardel and turn north to Avenida Chile. Here, sculptures of some of Argentina’s most famous cartoons, including Mafalda and the raucous Isidoro Cañones, stand proudly along the sidewalk.
After walking along the quiet neighborhoods of North San Telmo, I head south past the bustling green space of Plazoleta Eva Perón and past the famous Bar Sur, a classic watering hole that features some of the best live tango performances in the city. Along these cobblestone streets are some of the neighborhood’s most famous art galleries, parrillas, and antique dealers.
Plaza Dorrego
If San Telmo has a heart, it’s Plaza Dorrego. This tiny square has for centuries been a cherished green space for the neighborhood’s inhabitants. Much like in the past, artisans come here every weekend to sell their merchandise during the Feria de San Telmo.
I take a stroll around the plaza. Bars, restaurants, and shops are brimming with customers. I smile and tip some street performers and musicians doing their thing. I walk down the street to the church Parroquia de San Pedro González Telmo. This towering 18th century church is one of the oldest churches in the city.
Craving a beer, I hurry over to Bar Federal. This historic bar has been in business since 1864, making it one of the oldest bars in the city. Generations of bottles line the walls of its classic interior. Some are over 100—dare I say 150—years old. “Caballero,” says the waiter, greeting new customers as they come in. I order a rich artisanal stout, one of their many beers on tap. It’s full-bodied, with a rich head of foam and a dark chocolate aroma. No pretension here, just good beer and classic bar food, all in a richly historical setting.
Parque Lezama
I walk down the charming Calle Defensa. On the corner is the city’s Modern Art Museum, which houses priceless art pieces by international and local artists. Underneath the freeway, the large Mandinga tattoo parlor stands surrounded by street art, theaters, and small shops.
I get to the large park called Parque Lezama. This is the frontier of San Telmo. On the southern end of the park begins the neighborhood of La Boca. I visit the impressive Museo Histórico Nacional. Inside, relics of Argentina decorate the halls of the former mansion.
Exit Out the Barrio
It’s now late afternoon and I’m famished. I walk into Café Hipopótamo, one of the city’s famous bares notables. It has served San Telmo since 1909 and the setting and atmosphere of the cafe preserves that aesthetic today. Blonde plays on the radio. A customer kindly greets a woman selling socks walking in behind me. The waiter stoically checks in on his customers. A fluid confidence that comes from years of hard work in one particular field. Waiting tables in Buenos Aires is and always should be a respected profession. These are professionals people!
Full of milanesa and potatoes, my full belly and I stumble out the door. I covered San Telmo in a day with plenty left to enjoy for next time. For anyone new to the city, the neighborhood is a must visit treasure trove of cultural and historical experiences. For me, someone who has lived in the city for five months, it’s a place I need to spend more time in.