Córdoba

Córdoba is a wonderful town in Argentina with picturesque colonial houses and churches. The city was founded on July the 6th, 1573 by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera, who named it Córdoba de la Nueva Andalucía in honor of Cordoba in Spain. It was one the first Spanish colonial capitals of the region and is now the second largest city of Argentina.

Nicknamed The City of Bells (Ciudad de las Campanas) for the many churches and La Docta for the important universities, Córdoba has many historical monuments left over from the colonial era. At the Plaza San Martín square is the Jesuit Cathedral whose altar is made of stone and silver from Potosi. Every ornament inside is made of gold and the roof is all painted with different images from the Bible. Next to the church the Cabildo (colonial government house).

The most important historic area is perhaps the Jesuit Block (Manzana Jesuítica), declared in 2000 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is a block of buildings dating from the 17th century, including the Montserrat School, the University (today the historical museum of the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba) and the church of the Society of Jesus.

Attractions of Córdoba

Manzana Jesuitica (Jesuit Block)
Deemed a Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 2000, this block of Jesuit religious and secular buildings includes the oldest church and the oldest university in Argentina, a school and a chapel.

Plaza San Martin
Dating back four centuries, this lively plaza features fairs and exhibitions, and includes a statue of its namesake, General San Martin, a colonial-style cathedral and a 17th-century cabildo, or clubhouse, once used as a police headquarters.

Cathedral
Beautiful inside and out, with Indian angels gracing its towers, this cathedral at Plaza San Martin was started in 1577 and took almost 200 years to build.

Museo Historico Provincial Marques de Sobre Monte
Cordoba’s first Spanish governor lived and worked in this spacious colonial house, which is filled with furniture, rifles, saddles, military uniforms and other 18th-century artifacts.

Trejo's House

Parque Sarmiento
Lush green park in the center of Córdoba.