Río de la Plata
River Plate, [La] Plata River
River
NASA photo of the Río de la Plata looking from west to east. Buenos Aires is visible on the right side near the Paraná River delta. River sediments turn the water brown to the vicinity of Montevideo, visible on the left coast.
Name origin: Spanish, "river of silver"
Countries	Argentina, Uruguay
Tributaries
- left	Uruguay River, San Juan River, Santa Lucía River
- right	Paraná River, Luján River, Salado River
Cities	Buenos Aires, Montevideo
Source	confluence of Paraná and Uruguay Rivers
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	34°0′5″S 58°23′37″W / 34.00139°S 58.39361°W / -34.00139; -58.39361 [1]
Mouth	Atlantic Ocean
- location	Argentine Sea, Argentina & Uruguay
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
- coordinates	35°40′S 55°47′W / 35.667°S 55.783°W / -35.667; -55.783 [2]
Length	290 km (180 mi) [3] 4,876 km including the Paraná
Width	220 km (137 mi) [4]
Basin	4,144,000 km2 (1,600,000 sq mi) [3]
Discharge	for mouth
- average	22,000 m3/s (777,000 cu ft/s) [3]
Map of the La Plata Basin, showing the Río de la Plata at the mouths of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, near Buenos Aires.
Map of the Río de la Plata, showing cities in Argentina and Uruguay.

The Río de la Plata (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈri.o ðe la ˈplata], River of Silver)—sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and Uruguay. It is a funnel-shaped indentation on the southeastern coastline of South America, about 290 kilometres (180 mi) long.

The Río de la Plata widens from about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) at the inner part to about 220 kilometres (140 mi) at its mouth.^[4] It forms part of the border between Argentina and Uruguay, with the major ports and capital cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo on its western and northern shores, respectively. The coasts of the Río de la Plata are the most densely populated areas of Argentina and Uruguay.^[3]

Geography[link]

Buenos Aires sits along the River Plate.

Some geographers consider the Río de la Plata a gulf or marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, while others consider it a river.^[3] For those who regard it to be a river it is the widest in the world, with a maximum width of about 220 kilometres (140 mi) and a total surface area of about 35,000 square kilometres (14,000 sq mi).^[3]

The Río de la Plata behaves as an estuary in which freshwater and seawater mix. Its freshwater comes from the Paraná River, one of the world's longest, and its main tributary, the Paraguay River, as well as the Uruguay River and other smaller streams. Currents in the Río de la Plata are controlled by tides reaching to its source and beyond, into the Uruguay and Paraná rivers.^[4] Both rivers are tidally influenced for about 190 kilometres (120 mi).^[3] The tidal ranges in the Río de la Plata are small, but its large width allows for a tidal prism important enough to dominate the flow regime despite the huge discharge received by the tributary rivers. The rivers' discharge is strong enough to prevent salt water from penetrating the inner Río de la Plata.^[5]

A submerged shoal, the Barra del Indio, acts as a barrier, dividing the Río de la Plata into an inner freshwater riverine area and an outer brackish estuarine area.^[6] The shoal is located approximately between Montevideo and Punta Piedras (the northwest end of Samborombón Bay). It is the freshwater of the inner area that causes many to describe the Río de la Plata as a river.^[4] The depth of the inner fluvial zone is between about 1 to 5 metres (3.3 to 16 ft). It is about 180 kilometres (110 mi) long and up to 80 kilometres (50 mi) wide. The depth of the outer estuary zone increases from 5 to 25 metres (16 to 82 ft).^[6]

The Río de la Plata is a salt wedge estuary. Saltwater, being denser than freshwater, penetrates into the estuary in a layer below the freshwater, which floats on the surface. Salinity fronts, or haloclines, form at the bottom and on the surface, where fresh and brackish waters meet. The salinity fronts are also pycnoclines due to the water density discontinuities. They play an important role in the reproductive processes of fish species.^[6]

Extent[link]

The International Hydrographic Organization defines the eastern extent of the Río de la Plata as "A line joining Punta del Este, Uruguay (34°58.5′S 54°57.5′W / 34.975°S 54.9583°W / -34.975; -54.9583) and Cabo San Antonio, Argentina (36°18′S 56°46′W / 36.3°S 56.767°W / -36.3; -56.767)".^[2]

Drainage basin[link]

Satellite image of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers emptying into the Río de la Plata. Due to the relatively calm surface of the estuary and the angle of the Sun relative to the satellite, the current of the river flowing out into the Atlantic is visible.

The Río de la Plata basin is the second largest drainage basin in South America. At a size of about 4,144,000 square kilometres (1,600,000 sq mi), the basin is about one fourth of the continent's surface.^[3] It includes areas of southeastern Bolivia, southern and central Brazil, the entire nation of Paraguay, most of Uruguay, and northern Argentina. The main rivers of the La Plata basin are the Paraná, one of the longest in the world, and its main tributary, the Paraguay River, and the Uruguay River.^[6]

The Paraná River's main tributaries include the Paranaíba River, Grande River, Corumbá River, Tietê River, Paranapanema river, Iguazu River, Negro River, Carcarañá River, Gualeguay River, and the Salado River. The Paraná River ends in the large Paraná Delta.

The Paraguay's main tributaries include the Jauru River, Cuiabá River, Taquari River, Nabileque River, Curiche Grande River, Apa River, Pilcomayo River, and the Bermejo River. The Paraguay River flows through the Pantanal wetland.

The Uruguay's main tributaries include the Pelotas River, Canoas River, Peperiguaçu River, Ibicuí River, Quaraí River, and the Río Negro.

The rivers of the La Plata Basin carry an estimated 57,000,000 cubic metres (2.0×10⁹ cu ft) of silt into the Río de la Plata each year, where the muddy waters are stirred up by winds and tides. The shipping route from the Atlantic to Buenos Aires is kept open by constant dredging.

History[link]

Discovery of the Río de la Plata by Juan Díaz de Solís. He would be attacked and killed by charrúas after it.

The Río de la Plata was first explored by Europeans in 1516, when the Spanish navigator Juan Díaz de Solís traversed it during his search for a passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans.^[3] Juan Díaz de Solís named it the Mar Dulce, or sweet sea. The Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan briefly explored the estuary in 1520 before his expedition continued its circumnavigation.^[3]

Sebastian Cabot made a detailed study of the area and renamed it Río de la Plata. He explored the Paraná and Uruguay rivers between 1526 and 1529. He ascended the Paraná as far as the present-day city of Asunción, and also explored up the Paraguay River. Trading with the Guaraní near today's Asunción, Cabot acquired silver trinkets, and these objects gave rise to the name Río de la Plata, "river of silver".^[3]

The area was visited by Francis Drake's fleet in early 1578, in the early stages of his circumnavigation.^[7]

The first European colony was the city of Buenos Aires, founded by Pedro de Mendoza on 2 February 1536. However, it was quickly abandoned. It was refounded by Juan de Garay on 11 June 1580. The failure to establish a settlement on the estuary led to explorations upriver and the founding of Asunción in 1537.^[3]

During the colonial era the Río de la Plata was largely neglected by the Spanish Empire until the 1760s, when Portugal and Britain threatened to expand into the estuary.^[3] The Spanish Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata was created in 1776. In 1806 and 1807 the river was the scene of an important British invasion that aimed to occupy the area.

Conflictivity in the region intensified after the independence of the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the first quarter of the 19th century. Interests on the territories and the navigation rights over the Platine region played a major role in many armed conflicts throughout the century, including the Argentine civil wars, the Cisplatine and Platine wars, and the Paraguayan War.^[3] The river was blockaded by extra-regional powers on 1838–1840 and 1845–1850.

Battle of the River Plate[link]

In the first naval battle in the Second World War the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee was engaged by the Royal Navy (RN) cruisers, HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles^[8] off the estuary of the River Plate. The German ship retired up the estuary with a crippled fuel system and put into port at Montevideo. A few days later, rather than fight outgunned, she was scuttled in the estuary.

Etymology[link]

The English name "River Plate" is not, as sometimes thought, a mistranslation, as "plate" was used extensively as a noun for "silver" or "gold" from the 12th century onwards, especially in Early Modern English^[9] and the estuary has been known as the River Plate or Plate River in English since at least the time of Francis Drake.^[10] A modern translation of the Spanish Río de la Plata is "Silver River", referring not to color but to the riches of the fabled Sierra de la Plata thought to lie upstream.

The English version of the name served as an inspiration for one of Argentina's most important football clubs, Club Atlético River Plate.

Fauna[link]

The Río de la Plata is a habitat for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, the rare La Plata Dolphin, and many species of fish.

See also[link]

• Governorate of the Río de la Plata
• Rioplatense Spanish
• Rio de la Plata Earthquake 1888
• Geography of Uruguay#Topography and hydrography
• The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, in Rome's Piazza Navona, contains a figure representing the River Plate.
• Tributaries of the Río de la Plata

References[link]

Notes[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Piola, A. R., R. P. Matano, E. D. Palma, and E. D. Campos (2005): "The influence of the Plata River discharge on the western South Atlantic shelf". Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 32, L01603, doi:10.1029/2004GL021638.
• Real, Walter. España en el Río de la Plata: Descubrimiento y Poblamientos (1516–1588). Montevideo: Club Español. 2001. ISBN 9974-39-317-5.
• Simionato, Claudia G., Vera, Carolina S., Siegismund, Frank (2005). "Surface Wind Variability on Seasonal and Interannual Scales Over Río de la Plata Area" Journal of Coastal Research. 21 (4): 770-783. Abstract online

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Río de la Plata

• Hydrological report published by the OAS
• Treaty between Uruguay and Argentina concerning the Rio de la Plata and the Corresponding Maritime Boundary (19 November 1973)
• Aquatic Habitat Modifications in La Plata River Basin, Patagonia and Associated Marine Areas
• Water and Land Management on the Uruguayan Coast of the Río de la Plata
• RioPla.com Río de la Plata on-line information (WAP, RSS and WWW): tides, weather, wind. Charts for Garmin GPS.
• Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law Peace Palace Library

This article may need to be rewritten entirely to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards, as the English used is poorly translated from Spanish. You can help. The discussion page may contain suggestions. (March 2012)

La Plata
Ciudad de La Plata
From top left: Estación del Ferrocarril Roca • High view of Plaza Dardo Rocha • Garibaldi's statue • Legislatura Provincia de Buenos Aires • Palacio Municipal • Catedral • Museo de Ciencias Naturales • Estadio Ciudad de La Plata.
Coat of arms
La Plata Location in Argentina
Coordinates: 34°55′16″S 57°57′16″W / 34.92111°S 57.95444°W / -34.92111; -57.95444Coordinates: 34°55′16″S 57°57′16″W / 34.92111°S 57.95444°W / -34.92111; -57.95444
Country	Argentina
Founded	1882
Founder	Dardo Rocha
Government
• Intendant	Pablo Bruera
• Senators
Area
• City	203 km2 (78.5 sq mi)
• Land	203 km2 (78.5 sq mi)
• Metro	4,758 km2 (1,837 sq mi)
Elevation	26 m (85 ft)
Population (2001)2001 census [INDEC]
• City	186,524
• Density	920/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
• Metro	694,253
Demonym	platense
Time zone	ART (UTC−3)
CPA Base
Area code(s)	+54 221
Website	http://www.laplata.gov.ar

La Plata (English: The Silver) is the capital city of the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and of La Plata partido. According to the 2001 census [INDEC], the partido has a population of 574,369 and its metropolitan area has 694,253 inhabitants. The city itself has a population of 186,524.

La Plata was planned and developed to serve as the provincial capital after the city of Buenos Aires was federalized in 1880, and it was officially founded by Governor Dardo Rocha on 19 November 1882. Its construction is fully documented in photographs by Tomás Bradley Sutton.^[1] La Plata was renamed Eva Perón City (Ciudad Eva Perón) between 1952 and 1955.

The city is home to two football (soccer) teams that play in the first division: Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.

History and description[link]

Governor Dardo Rocha (1838-1921), founder of La Plata.

Cathedral of La Plata

Rocha decided to erect a new city to host the provincial government institutions and the planned university. Urban planner Pedro Benoit designed a city layout based on a rationalist conception of urban centers. The city has the shape of a square with a central park and two main diagonal avenues, north-south and east-west. (In addition, there are numerous other shorter diagonals.) This design is copied in a self-similar manner in small blocks of six by six blocks in length. Every six blocks, one finds a small park or square. Other than the diagonals, all streets are on a rectangular grid, and are numbered consecutively. Thus, La Plata is nicknamed "la ciudad de las diagonales" ("city of diagonals"). It is also called "la ciudad de los tilos" ("city of tilia (linden trees)") because of the large number of linden trees lining many streets and squares.

The city design and its buildings are said to possess a strong Freemason symbolism. This is said to be a consequence of both Rocha and Benoit being Freemasons.^{[citation needed]}

The designs for the government buildings were chosen in an international architectural competition. Thus, the Governor Palace was designed by Italians, City Hall by Germans, etc. Electric street lighting was installed in 1884, and was the first of its kind in Latin America.

Panoramic view of La Plata.

The cathedral of La Plata, in neo-Gothic style, is the largest church in Argentina.

The Curutchet House is one of the two buildings by Le Corbusier in the Americas. The Teatro Argentino de La Plata is the second most-important opera house in Argentina after the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires.

The University of La Plata was founded in 1897 and nationalized in 1905. It is well known for its observatory and natural history museum. Ernesto Sabato graduated in physics at this university; he went on to teach at the Sorbonne and the MIT before becoming a famed novelist. Doctor René Favaloro was another famous alumnus. During its early years, it attracted a number of renowned intellectuals from the Spanish-speaking world, such as Dominican Pedro Henríquez Ureña.

La Plata in the 20th century[link]

Under Alvear's administration (1922–1928), Enrique Mosconi, the president of the oil state company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales, created the distillery of La Plata, which was the tenth largest in the world.^[2]

Railway station, La Plata.

On 10 December 1945, in the Parish of St. Francis of Assisi in this city, Juan Domingo Perón and Eva Duarte married.^[3]

The city was renamed in 1952 as Eva Perón, though the original name was restored in 1955. La Plata's residents are served by numerous daily newspapers, the most prominent of which is El Día.

It was filmed in the 1997 film "Seven Years in Tibet", which featured a performance by Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, BD Wong, Mako, Danny Denzongpa, Victor Wong, Ingeborga Dapkunaite and Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk, among others. Location was used as a local train terminal, having a design similar to the train in Austria. The film belongs to the drama and was shot mostly in the U.S. and in the province of Mendoza, Argentina.

In October 1998, UNESCO approved the city's bid to gain recognition as a Heritage of Humanity. The distinction is still pending due to various objections to the criterion of maintaining architectural and landscape over recent decades, which in the opinion of other specialists has produced severe damage to the original design and contextual aesthetics.^[4][5][6][7]

Present[link]

On June 7, 2003 opened the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, one of the most modern in Latin America, even without having completed all the planned works.

On 28 October 2007 Pablo Bruera was elected Mayor with 26% of the vote, replacing Julio Alak, who had been in charge since 1991.

During 2009, following a series of agreements between the city municipality, the governor of the province and the nation's presidency, progress was made in the final transfer of the land of the Paseo del Bosque to Estudiantes and Gimnasia clubs. 24 June, the Deliberative Council adopted the Convention and the ordinance for which Gimnasia and Estudiantes clubs receive in character "grant from" the lands where they currently stand their grounds in El Bosque (The Forest).

On February 25, 2009 debuted the parking system via text messages (sms). With this fact, La Plata became the first city in Argentina to use technology applications class to control the parking lot.

In April 2009, reopened its doors as Pasaje Rodrigo shopping. The mall was opened in 1929 by Basilio Rodrigo (Spanish immigrant) and had been closed to the public for 10 years.

In 2011, the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata will be the site of the Copa America Cup, which after 24 years will be played in Argentina, with head in seven provinces.

Geography[link]

Location[link]

Located in the northeastern province of Buenos Aires, limiting to the northeast with Ensenada and Berisso, northwest with the Berazategui and Florencio Varela, southwest and south, with San Vicente and Coronel Brandsen and southeast with Magdalena, occupying an area of 893 km.

The metropolitan area of La Plata includes besides the founding of the town, the towns of Tolosa, Ringuelet, Manuel B. Gonnet, City Bell, Villa Elisa, Melchor Romero, Abasto, Gorina, José Hernández, Ángel Etcheverry, Arturo Seguí Los Hornos, Lisandro Olmos, Villa Elvira and, Altos de San Lorenzo, all of them with community centers that operate as local delegations.

Time zone[link]

GMT -3.^[8]

Climate[link]

Climogram

Usually warm and humid in the summer. Mild winters.
Average temperature: 16.7°C
Average clear days: 126 Rain: 1023 Mn
Average humidity: 78%

Snow[link]

Snowfall in the city are rare. The last significant snowfall fell on 9 July 2007. The second last snowfall was on 22 June 1918.

Earthquakes[link]

The region responds to the "failure of Punta del Este" and its ultimate expression occurred on 5 June 1888 (122 years), at 3.20 UTC-3 with a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale. (Earthquake of Rio de la Plata, 1888.)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2010)

Government[link]

Casa de Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.

Given the federal system of government in Argentina there are 3 orders or ranks: the National, Provincial and Municipal. Thus it is referring to the three branches in each of these tiers.

The executive branch in La Plata, is exercised by the municipal mayor, elected by popular vote every four years with the possibility of unlimited reelection. The government building is known as the Palacio Municipal, located between the streets 51, 53, 11 and 12, in the city center, is separated from the cathedral across the plaza Moreno. The current mayor is Paul Bruera.

The city government is divided into different areas. These are: Private Secretary, Secretary General, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Public Management, Social Development Secretariat, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Modernization and Economic Development, Ministry of Justice Faltas, Secretary of Health and Social Medicine, Chief of Staff, Regional Market La Plata, Management Consortium Puerto La Plata, Executive Unit Revenue Agency, Environment Agency Implementation Unit, Human Rights Department, Ministry of Government, Policy Planning Council, Regional Production and Employment, and the city council.

La Plata, also for being capital, is home to three provincial powers. That is, the provincial executive (by Daniel Scioli) along with their ministries, the judiciary and the provincial Legislature, have their seat in La Plata.

Economy[link]

Banco Provincia headquarters in La Plata.

According to the National Economic Survey 2004-2005, a total of 23,844 local listings, 90% are dedicated to the production of goods and services, 4% belonged to the Civil Service, 2% for semi sideshows or removable; 1% for worship, political parties and unions, and the remaining 2% was in the process of classification.

Finance[link]

La Plata has a Stock Market (Bolsa de Comercio) founded in 1960, member of the Argentine stock market system.

In the city there are branches of major banks operating in the country, including Banco Nación, Banco Provincia, Banco Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Banco Hipotecario, HSBC, Citigroup, Banco Itaú, Francés, Macro, Standard Bank, etc.

Population[link]

The urban foundation, according to the National Census of Population and Housing 2001, has a population of 186,524 inhabitants.

Evolution of the population of the Partido of La Plata from 1960 to 2001.

Furthermore, the La Plata partido's population since 1960 was developed as follows:^[10]

• Census 1960: 337,060 inhabitants.
• Census 1970: 391,247 inhabitants.
• Census 1980: 459,054 inhabitants.
• Census 1991: 521,759 inhabitants.
• Census 2001: 563,943 inhabitants.

Notice how in 1991-2001 slowed their growth, as happened to many cities in Argentina, but still maintains a constantly growing. Meanwhile in La Plata was reconstituted with 694 253 in 2001, which places so far as the 6th agglomeration of Argentina. Following their growth rate in 2009 to estimate the agglomerate is: 736 954 inhabitants.^[11]

The population is predominantly descended from Spanish and Italian, but also highlights German, Arabic, Bolivians, Jews, Paraguayans, Peruvians and Poles.

Spanish community[link]

As for the Spanish community, stands out in their contributions, for example with renowned Spanish Hospital. The United Spanish has also acknowledged the community by installing a consulate in the city of La Plata.

Italian community[link]

It highlights the Italian Federation of the consular district of La Plata which brings together many institutions involved in the community. This community also has a school. Italy also set up a Consulate in La Plata. The city also boasts the renowned Italian Hospital.

Arab community[link]

The Arab community also has several institutions, including the Syriac Orthodox Welfare Assoc, Assoc Islamic Argentino de La Plata and the Lebanese Society of La Plata. Lebanese Club La Plata.

Jewish community[link]

The Jewish community of La Plata has numerous institutions, including La Plata AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina), which has under its orbit Hebrew School Chaim Nachman Bialik and the Jewish cemetery of the city, the Beit Chabad La Plata, part of Chabad Lubavitch Argentina, and has a library and a Synagogue, the Central Sephardic Jewish Cultural Association and Max Nordau.

Education[link]

Presidencia de la UNLP.

Number 19 School Gral. José de San Martín.

La Plata hosts one of the most renowned universities in Argentina, the National University of La Plata (Spanish: Universidad Nacional de La Plata, UNLP). It has over 75,000 regular students, 8,000 teaching staff, 16 faculties and 106 available degrees.

UNLP students and professors include:

• Raúl Alfonsín (Law degree in 1950) President of Argentina (1983–1989)
• Néstor Kirchner (Law degree) President of Argentina (2003–2007)
• Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (Law degree) President of Argentina (current; term 2011-2015)
• René Favaloro (Medicine degree in 1949, creator of the technique for coronary bypass surgery)
• Carlos Saavedra Lamas (law teacher, and rector, Nobel Peace Prize recipient)
• Ernesto Sábato (Physics PhD in 1937)
• Mario Bunge (Physics-Mathematics PhD in 1952)
• Florentino Ameghino (professor of geology)
• Juan José Arévalo (Philosophy PhD in 1934, 24th President of Guatemala)
• Emilio Pettoruti
• Pedro Henríquez Ureña

Four high school institutes are under UNLP control, three of them are located in La Plata:

• Rafael Hernández National High School (Spanish: Colegio Nacional Rafael Hernández)
• Víctor Mercante Lyceum (Spanish: Liceo Víctor Mercante)
• Fine Arts High School (Spanish: Bachillerato de Bellas Artes)

La Plata is also home of other three universities:

• Universidad Católica de La Plata
• Universidad Notarial Argentina
• Facultad Regional de la Universidad Tecnológica Nacional.

Students come to these four universities from every part of Argentina and other countries, giving the city a rich young multicultural lifestyle.

There is also an international school for translators, Traductorado.

Architecture and composure of the city[link]

View of the City of La Plata and Plaza Moreno from the Cathedral.

The city from the air.

Plaza Dardo Rocha from the air.

View of the Plaza Moreno and the Cathedral.

View of the diagonal 73 in spring.

Courthouse.

Juzgados Federales de La Plata (ex Hotel Provincial).

La Plata is a planned city, urban planning paradigm of the late 19th century. It is also an example of "hygiene", which was becoming important in that time.

The trace of the city, designed by architect Pedro Benoit, characterized by a strict grid, and its many avenues and diagonals. The convergence of the two major diagonals, 73 and 74, which cross the city from east to west and from north to south, respectively, takes place in Plaza Moreno. This square, in whose center is the foundation stone, the heart of the city, is the main square of the city and it is between the City Hall and the cathedral located at 14 N ° 1943 between 51 and 53, High Gothic, with its towers 112 m high, could be completed only in 1999. Highlights of the city are the Museum of Natural Sciences, the building of the Interior, the Provincial Legislature, the new theater and the hippodrome. Many of these buildings were built at the time of the founding of the city, following an international call for proposals. They are often called "buildings erected" and most of them are on the shaft foundation, which blocks are located between 51st and 53rd streets.

Another work is the parent company of Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, located between the streets 6, 7, 46 and 47. This building was designed by architects Juan A. Buschiazzo and Luis Viglione. It opened on 19 April 1886, being amended in 1913 and in the 1970s.

It is a very green city, with its largest so-called "Paseo del Bosque" (or simply 'the forest'), with its lake, amphitheater Martin Fierro, the Zoo and Botanical Garden Victorian astronomical observatory, and Natural History Museum, part of the UNLP, with its famous collections. Other attractions are the nearby Parque Pereyra Iraola great and so-called Republic of children in which it is said, he would have inspired Walt Disney to build Disneyland then, there are videos that prove that Disney, prior to building the park, visited the Republic Children's during his visit to Argentina.

Architecturally the neo-Gothic cathedral called La Colorada, the former central railway station, in 1977 the city lost due to a fire, one of its most valuable monuments: the Teatro Argentino de La Plata, predominantly neoclassic style. Instead they built a new brutalist style theater. The city also has the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata influenced by modern architecture High-tech architecture, through a national competition which was amended in a subsequent project to expand capacity and cover. Is anticipated that by mid-2010s concrete deck semitransaparente Kevlar and plastic resins (which is still in Customs).

Awards received by the city[link]

The city was awarded at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1889, an event in which the new city are the two gold medals awarded in the categories "City of the Future" and "Better performance built."

La Plata Cemetery[link]

The municipal cemetery of La Plata was established in 1886 for the new capital of the province of Buenos Aires. It was designed by Pedro Benoit, who was also responsible for the design of the city. It lies on the intersection of Avenue 31, 72 and diagonal 74 in the southern tip. It has outstanding architectural features, both on his porch as in many of their family vaults, including neoclassical, Neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau (in its variant of Catalan Art Nouveau), Art Deco and Egyptian revival. The main entrance is an impressive neo-classical portico with Doric columns.

Its annex the Jewish Cemetery, part of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina in La Plata, located on Avenue 72.

Sports[link]

The most popular sport in the city, as in the whole country, is football. Among the many clubs that play football in the city, two of them stand out above the rest and these are the clubs Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, they both play in the First Division of Argentine football. From these two teams came out great players like Martín Palermo, Francisco Varallo, Juan Sebastián Verón and his father, Gustavo and Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Leandro Cufré, among others. The city also has the Liga Amateur Platense de fútbol that encompasses dozens of clubs in the region, such as: Club Atlético Estrella de Berisso, La Plata Fútbol Club, Asociación Nueva Alianza, Club Everton, among others.

Basketball has a place in the Torneo Nacional de Ascenso (National Tournament Ascent), through Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata . In addition, through the Asociación Platense de Basquetbol, the city has leagues and tournaments for all levels and categories (First, Second Ascent, U21, Junior (U19), Cadet (U17), Kids (U15) Pre-Kids (U13), which involved Clubs: Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, Estudiantes,Centro Fomento de Los Hornos Club Atenas, Unión Vecinal, Centro de Fomento Meridiano V, Club Cultural y Deportivo Juventud, among others.

Map of the Autódromo Roberto José Mouras track

Auto racing also has its importance in the city from the hands of the Turismo Carretera. For this competition is a racetrack called Autódromo Roberto José Mouras in honor of the historic Chevrolet driver died in Lobos in 1992.^[13] Other information relating to motorsport in the city has to do with the last Argentine Formula 1 pilot, who was the "platense" Gastón Mazzacane that after 21 races in Formula 1 came to compete in the Champ Car and Top Race V6.

Rugby, meanwhile, is a comprehensive discipline of fans in the city. The most representative clubs are: La Plata Rugby Club, Club San Luis, Los Tilos, Universitario and Albatros.

Of note is the traditional seat of turf in the city. La Plata has a race track, the third in order of competition and offer careers in the country.

Volleyball teams include Gimnasia y Esgrima and Universitario.

Hockey also claims two teams, Universitario and Santa Bárbara.

Culture[link]

The culture has a major role in the city of La Plata. This is reflected in the large amount of cultural centers, theaters, museums, cinemas and libraries that are in the city, as well as the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and the observatory.

Pasaje Dardo Rocha Building, named in honor of the city's founder.

Former building of the Teatro Argentino (burnt and demolished in 1977).

La Plata Museum of Natural History.

• Cultural centers: Centro Cultural Pasaje Dardo Rocha, Centro Cultural Islas Malvinas, Centro Cultural Estación Provincial, Centro Cultural Viejo Almacén El Obrero, Centro de Cultura & Comunicación, Centro Cultural El Núcleo, Centro Actividades Artísticas CRISOLES, Centro Cultural Los Hornos, Centro Cultural y Social El Galpón de Tolosa.
• Theaters: Teatro Argentino de La Plata, Teatro Municipal Coliseo Podestá, Anfiteatro Martín Fierro, Teatro La Nonna, Teatro La Hermandad del Princesa, Sala 420, Taller de Teatro de la UNLP, Complejo El Teatro, Teatro La Lechuza.
• Museums:^[14][15] Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Latinoamericano, Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes, Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes, Museo de Arte Fra. Angélico, Museo de Instrumentos Musicales Colección Dr. Emilio Azzarini, Museo Histórico del Fuerte de la Ensenada de Barragán, Museo y Archivo Dardo Rocha, Museo Almafuerte, Museo del Teatro Argentino, Museo José Juan Podestá, Museo de la Catedral, Museo Indigenista Yana Kúntur, Museo Internacional de Muñecos, Museo del Automóvil Colección Rau, Museo del Tango Platense, Museo Policial Inspector Mayor Vesiroglos, Museo Histórico Contralmirante Chalier (Escuela Naval de Río Santiago), Museo Histórico Militar Tte. Julio A. Roca, Museo de Anatomía Veterinaria Dr. Víctor M. Arroyo, Museo de Artesanía Tradicional Juan Alfonso Carrizo, Museo de Astronomía y Geofísica, Museo de Botánica y Farmacognosia Dr. Carlos Spegazzini, Museo y Casa de Descanso Samay Huasi, Museo de Física, Museo de Historia de la Medicina Dr. Santiago Gorostiague, Museo Biblioteca de Química y Farmacia Prof. Dr. Carlos Sagastume, Museo de Odontología, Museo de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales Prof. Julio Ocampo.
• Libraries: Biblioteca Central General José de San Martín, Biblioteca Municipal Francisco López Merino, Biblioteca de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Biblioteca de la Legislatura de la Provincia.
• Cinemas: Cinema San Martín, Cinema 8, Cinema City, Cinema Paradiso, Cinema Rocha, Cine Select, Espacio INCAA km. 60.

There were big personalities in the cultural sphere from the city: Paula Almerares (opera singer, soprano); Dante Anzolini (conductor); Efraín U. Bischoff (historian), José Walter Gavito (sculptor), Osvaldo Golijov (classical composer), Robert Noble (journalist and socialist politician, founder and first editor of the newspaper Clarín), Emilio Pettoruti (painter), Ernesto Tenenbaum (Reporter), María Dhialma Tiberti (writer), Iñaki Urlezaga (classical dancer), Álvaro Yunque (writer), Jorge and Federico D'Elia (actors); Adabel Guerrero (dancer, actress), Alejo García Pintos (film and television actor), Benjamín Rojas (actor), Freddy Villarreal (comedian, actor), Héctor Bidonde (actor), Juan Palomino (actor), Oscar Alberto "Lito" Cruz (actor), Maxi Ghione (actor), Pablo Andrés Martínez (actor), Carlos Mancinelli (musician), among others.

It is worth mentioning other important personalities, not being natives of La Plata, influenced the city's cultural life as Raúl Amaral (writer, poet and journalist. It was part of Ediciones del Bosque), Joaquin V. Gonzalez (historian, educator, writer and politician) and Rafael Hernández (politician and journalist), both founders of the UNLP, Pedro Bonifacio Palacios "Almafuerte" (Poet); Josefina Passadori (writer) Ernesto Sabato (writer and artist), Carlos "Indio" Solari (musician and band member platense Redonditos Patricio Rey and Ricotta), among others.

The city has a great attraction to music, whereas all festival concerts are organized. In addition, this is formed big band music and folklore of Argentina such as Los Redondos, Virus, Guasones, Opus Cuatro, among others.

Festivals, celebrations and events scheduled[link]

Doll winner 2008, "Arde Troya".

The city of La Plata has the particularity of being the only place (with Berisso and Ensenada) in the country where the burning of Momos (Dolls similar to those cremated at the Fallas festival in Valencia, Spain) is held every New Year's Eve. Hundreds of dolls are burnt to celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of a new year. Competitions for the best doll is awarded by the La Plata municipality and media.^[16][17]

Every 18 April is International Day For Monuments and Sites.^[18] That day, buses with tour guides leave from the Centro Cultural Pasaje Dardo Rocha to the various historical monuments of La Plata, Berisso and Ensenada, being the activity free.

In addition, every year on 19 November, the anniversary of the city is held with recitals and a fireworks show at the Plaza Moreno.

In La Plata, as well as in all of Argentina, the first day of spring is celebrated along with National Student's Day on 21 September. On this date, the municipality organizes concerts both in the Paseo del Bosque and Plaza Moreno.

Patron saint[link]

The patron saint of the city and the party of La Plata is Saint Ponciano, the 18th pope of the Catholic Church, who died in Sardinia on 19 November 235.^[19] On 19 November is the feast of the Catholic parish of St. Pontian, pope and martyr.^[20]

Tourism[link]

The most important tourist sites are located in the heart of the city's founding, between Streets 51 and 53, being the center of the city's Plaza Moreno. The square separates two great works of the city: the Metropolitan Cathedral of La Plata "Immaculate Conception" and the Palacio Municipal.

The city of La Plata has many monuments and historical sites. Among them are: the Banco Provincia de Buenos Aires headquarters, the Curutchet House, Casa de Gobierno Provincial, Casa Mariani - Teruggi, Centro Cultural Islas Malvinas, Centro Cultural Meridiano V, Centro Cultural Pasaje Dardo Rocha, Iglesia San Benjamín, la Legislatura Provincial, Museo de Ciencias Naturales, the Quinta Oreste Santospago, the Rectorado de la UNLP, Museo Ferroviario of Tolosa, the Teatro Municipal Coliseo Podestá, the Anfiteatro Martín Fierro, the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, entre otros.

Moreover, staying at the city of La Plata the visitors can tour the monuments of the neighboring cities of Berisso and Ensenada (formerly part of La Plata), finding among these to the Street New York, the Swift Refrigerator, Ukrainian Catholic Parish "Our Lady of the Assumption, Old Station Cultural Centre, Fort Barragán and Historical Museum, the Ensenada Rotary Bridge, among others.

[edit] People from La Plata

• Category:People from La Plata
• La Plata's Mayors

Notable people

• Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the 55th and current President of Argentina.
• Emilio Pettoruti
• Rene Favaloro
• Facundo Cabral

Sister cities[link]

La Plata has signed long-lasting cooperative ties in the nature of twinning, with the following cities on the dates specified:

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

• Soler, Ricardo (1982). 100 años de vida platense. El Día. Sociedad Impresora Platense.. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: La Plata

• (Spanish) Official government website
• (Spanish) http://www.mapa.laplata.gov.ar Interactive map of La Plata
• (Spanish) Municipal information: Municipal Affairs Federal Institute (IFAM), Municipal Affairs Secretariat, Ministry of Interior, Argentina. (Spanish)

La Plata's web guides[link]

• (Spanish) LaPlataMap
• (Spanish) Calle 52
• (Spanish) LaGuiaX
• (Spanish) Cualbondi (Buses on/from/to La Plata)

v t e Main cities of Buenos Aires Province Capital city La Plata Metropolitan cities Mar del Plata Bahía Blanca Tandil San Nicolás de los Arroyos Greater Buenos Aires area cities Avellaneda Banfield Béccar Bella Vista Berazategui Bernal Boulogne Sur Mer Burzaco Caseros Castelar Ciudad Evita Ciudadela El Palomar Florencio Varela Florida Glew González Catán Gregorio de Laferrère Grand Bourg Hurlingham Isidro Casanova Ituzaingó José C. Paz Lanús Libertad Lomas del Mirador Lomas de Zamora Los Polvorines Mariano Acosta Martínez Merlo Monte Chingolo Monte Grande Moreno Morón Olivos Quilmes Rafael Calzada Rafael Castillo Ramos Mejia Remedios de Escalada San Fernando San Francisco Solano San Isidro San Justo San Martín San Miguel Sarandí Temperley Tigre Villa Centenario Villa Domínico Villa Tesei Wilde William C. Morris Regional cities Azul Balcarce Belén de Escobar Berisso Bragado Brandsen Campana Cañuelas Chivilcoy Chascomús City Bell Coronel Pringles Dolores Junín Lincoln Lobos Luján Mercedes Necochea Nueve de Julio Olavarría Pergamino Pilar Ramallo Saladillo San Clemente del Tuyú Trenque Lauquen Tres Arroyos Zárate Towns > 10,000 people Alberti Arrecifes Baradero Chacabuco Coronel Dorrego Daireaux Ensenada General Belgrano General Lavalle Henderson Magdalena Marcos Paz Mar del Tuyú Miramar Open Door Pehuajó Pellegrini Pinamar Punta Alta Rauch Salto San Bernardo del Tuyú San Pedro Santa Teresita San Vicente Suipacha Tornquist Villa Gesell

v t e Provincial capitals of Argentina La Plata, Buenos Aires San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, Catamarca Resistencia, Chaco Rawson, Chubut Córdoba, Córdoba Corrientes, Corrientes Paraná, Entre Ríos Formosa, Formosa San Salvador de Jujuy, Jujuy Santa Rosa, La Pampa La Rioja, La Rioja Mendoza, Mendoza Posadas, Misiones Neuquén, Neuquén Viedma, Río Negro Salta, Salta San Juan, San Juan San Luis, San Luis Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz Santa Fe, Santa Fe Santiago del Estero, Santiago del Estero Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán

Natalia Oreiro
Background information
Birth name	Natalia Marisa Oreiro Iglesias
Born	(1977-05-19) May 19, 1977 (age 35)
Origin	Montevideo, Uruguay
Genres	Latin pop, rock
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, actress, model
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1990s–present
Labels	BMG – Ariola
Website	Official website

Natalia Marisa Oreiro Iglesias (born May 19, 1977 in Montevideo, Uruguay) is a Latin Grammy-nominated Uruguayan singer, actress and fashion designer of Galician ancestry, who developed most of her career in Argentina. Oreiro began her career in telenovelas. Since 2008 she has switched to work primarily in films. Oreiro has worked on social awareness shows and events for organizations like Greenpeace and UNICEF, the latter of which designated her as ambassador for Argentina and Uruguay in September 2011. She has been included in Esquire magazine's "The Sexiest Woman Alive Atlas" list.^[1] In 2012, La Nación named her the queen of telenovelas.^[2]

Life and career[link]

1977–2000: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Natalia Oreiro, daughter of Carlos Florencio Oreiro Poggio and Mabel Cristina Iglesias Bourié, was born on May 19, 1977. Natalia studied drama at the age of eight and at twelve started auditioning for advertisements. During her teens she appeared in more than 30 television commercials for such trade marks as Coca Cola, Pepsi and Johnson & Johnson. At the age of 16 she moved to Argentina to work there and unleash her ambition to be a star. She worked as an MTV VJ and in 1995, she landed a role in the soap opera Dulce Ana. She was then cast in the TV series 90-60-90 modelos (1996) and next in Ricos y famosos (1997, playing Valeria). Next, she starred in the Argentinian film Un Argentino en New York (1998). After the movie, Natalia launched her first album, Natalia Oreiro and the single "Cambio dolor" became the opening theme for her next acting project, the prime time show Muñeca Brava (1998–1999). For her performance in Muñeca Brava, Natalia was nominated twice (1998 and 1999) for a Martín Fierro Award as best actress in a leading role. In January 2000, Natalia was named "Celebrity of the Year" by E! Entertainment Television. She became popular in Russia due to the success of Muñeca brava in that country and was even invited to star in a Russian telenovela.

[edit] 2000–2002: Tu Veneno and Turmalina

She pursued her musical career with the next album Tu Veneno and presentations in Gala de la Hispanidad, Gala de Murcia (both in Spain) and Festival de la Calle 8 in Miami. Her most important appearance was in the prestigious Latin television show Sábado Gigante Internacional, hosted by Don Francisco. Natalia's major achievement at this time was her music performance in Chile at Viña del Mar Festival 2000 for which she was crowned Queen of that event.^[3] The album scored a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Album, but lost to Christina Aguilera's Mi Reflejo.

On June 1, 2002, her third studio album Turmalina was released by BMG Ariola Argentina. Turmalina was produced by Latin record producer Kike Santander and is a combination of rhythms such as rock, pop and some sort of reminiscent of the 70's and 80's sounds. On this album, Oreiro write and composed the songs: "Alas de libertad" which is inspired by kids she met some time ago in the city of Jujuy, Argentina; "Mar" tells the love story between a sailor and his girlfriend. Natalia also contributed to the lyrics of "Cayendo". "Que Digan Lo Que Quieran" is Turmalina's first single. Official Uruguayan 2002 World Cup song "Pasión Celeste" is recorded with Fredy Bessio.^[4] "Cuesta arriba, cuesta abajo" was opening song of soap opera Kachorra (Runaway Lady). Kachorra ended with a rating lower than 20 points in Argentina.^[5]

[edit] 2002–present: Cleopatra, Sos mi vida and other works

Natalia Oreiro in September 2010

In March 2003 she started filming her second film Cleopatra together with Norma Aleandro, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Héctor Alterio, under the direction of Eduardo Mignogna, a co-production with Spain. In the middle of 2003, she started a tour for Eastern Europe and Latin America. On March 1, 2004 she started filming El Deseo. In 2006 she joined as the female boxer, Esperanza Munoz, in the cast of the telenovela Sos mi vida along with her Muñeca brava co-star Facundo Arana. It was directed by Rodolfo Antúnez and Jorge Bechara and broadcast by Canal 13. It began broadcasting on January 16, 2006 and ending January 9, 2007, and during its broadcast averaged 26.9 points overall rating.^[6] It was written by Ernesto Korovsky and Sebastian Parrotta, and won four Martín Fierro Awards and three Clarín Awards.

On April 30, 2008, Oreiro starred in Amanda O which is a series of internet television in Argentina and produced by Dori Media Group. It was first soap opera made for internet,^[7] and was seen by 550,000 users over Novebox.com, from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay during its first season and beginning of the second.^[8]

Discography[link]

• Natalia Oreiro (1998)
• Tu Veneno (2000)
• Turmalina (2002)

Artistic career[link]

Television[link]

Filmography[link]

Natalia Oreiero at Cannes in 2007.

References[link]

1. ^ Natalia Oreiro Sexy Picture. Esquire (2010-07-30). Retrieved on 2011-11-12.
2. ^ La fórmula secreta de la reina de la telenovela. La Nación (2012-03-03). Retrieved on 2012-03-03.
3. ^ "Natalia Oreiro: ensalada rusa" (in Spanish). http://edant.clarin.com/diario/2005/09/11/sociedad/s-1050638.htm. 
4. ^ "Turmalina Review". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/turmalina-r607446. 
5. ^ "Kachorra". http://telepedia.novebox.com/telepedia/show/kachorra-0. 
6. ^ "Sos mi vida" llegó a su fin^{[dead link]}
7. ^ "Bizarra y ambigua". http://www.clarin.com/diario/2008/11/16/espectaculos/c-00601.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-31. 
8. ^ ""Amanda O", camino al gran fina". http://www.novebox.com/article/amanda-o-camino-al-gran-final. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
9. ^ ^{a b} For awards: "Bio, Awards". http://nataliaoreiro.com/bio_en.html. 
10. ^ "Natalia awarded in Uruguay". http://www.nataliaoreiro.com/news/2011/05/natalia-awarded-in-uruguay/. Retrieved June 2, 2011. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Natalia Oreiro

• Official website
• Natalia Oreiro at the Internet Movie Database
• Official Youtube Channel
• Natalia Oreiro at cinenacional.com