Retiro

The beginnings of Retiro

The Retiro neighborhood was originally located outside the city limits. At the end of the 17th century, the governor of Buenos Aires built a striking country house in the area, which he decided to call "El Retiro", and subsequently the area began to be urbanized little by little.

With the appearance of yellow fever in the city at the end of the 19th century, the wealthiest families decided to move into this area in search of safety, and the neighborhood became filled with stately residences and luxurious buildings.

The other side of Buenos Aires

Behind the striking Retiro station lies Villa 31, one of the most infamous shanty towns in the country (also known as Villa Miseria) where, in many cases, people are crammed together in extremely poor conditions. It is not a tourist area, as it is not considered to be very safe.