Things to do in La Plata

About La Plata

La Plata is a planned city founded in 1882, uniquely characterized by its strict grid layout featuring diagonal avenues and a recurring square park every six blocks. The city serves as the capital of Buenos Aires Province and houses the impressive neo-Gothic Catedral de La Plata, which stands as one of the largest in South America. Educational and scientific importance is centered around the massive Museo de La Plata, situated within the expansive green expanse of the Paseo del Bosque. Families often visit the República de los Niños, a pioneering miniature-scale theme park that predates many famous international counterparts.

Good to know

1. 1

   The city's urban layout was designed specifically to be a 'city of the future,' incorporating innovative zoning that separated administrative, commercial, and residential areas.

2. 2

   La Plata is nicknamed 'The City of Diagonals' because its master plan mandates diagonal streets that bisect the traditional city grid to facilitate faster transit.

3. 3

   The city was entirely constructed from scratch starting in 1882 to serve as the new capital of the Buenos Aires Province after the city of Buenos Aires became an autonomous federal district.

4. 4

   During its founding, the city was promoted at the 1889 Paris World's Fair, where it won gold medals for its innovative urban design and advanced infrastructure.

5. 5

   The urban design is so precise that the city grid is perfectly square, measuring exactly six kilometers by six kilometers.