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| Photo courtesy of me! https://www.instagram.com/p/_sHX2-LZDy/?taken-by=raymondelee12 |
If the city of Buenos Aires is referred to as the Paris of South America then Recoleta is known as the Little Paris in Buenos Aires. Its french style residences, large gardens, squares, fashionable hotels, museums as well as the restaurants and cafes gives this area a distinctive and special profile.
In terms of real estate, Recoleta is one of the most expensive areas in Buenos Aires. Many of its buildings are now considered as national monuments, such as the Duhau Palace, a Victorian style residence, the Anchorena Palace, seat of the Vatican Embassy in Argentina, the French and Brazilian Embassies, “Belle Époque” expressions that belonged to rich argentine families.
Background History 
After the war of the triple alliance where Argentina, Brasil and Uruguay fought Paraguay, there was a large influx of Italian immigrants to Argentina, who initially congregated in the poorer parts of the city.All this economic activity lead to a rapid growth in the population of Buenos Aires, so when Yellow Fever broke out in early 1871, the effect was devastating. Estimates of the death toll vary from 13 to 25 thousand victims.
At the height of the epidemic, so many people were dying every day that the Buenos Aires Northern Railway Company laid in a temporary branch-line to serve the new cemetery on farmland at Chacarita that had been hurriedly developed when the existing cemeteries could no longer cope.
Those who could afford it fled from the city to the camp to avoid the ravages of the disease. Rapacious landlords in the camp charged vast sums of money for accommodation, food and transport.
However there were many, especially the poor, who couldn't leave. As the municipal government had also fled the city, an official Comision Popular was set up to organise relief, but found itself unable to cope with all the demands made on it.
In order to alleviate the distress of the poorer members of the British community, H. G. MacDonnell, Chargé d`Affaires at the British Legation, took it on himself to organise assistance.
He contacted the various clergymen of the Anglican, Presbyterian and Irish Catholic communities, and along with a newly arrived doctor co-opted for the purpose, set about providing medical and financial assistance to those in need.
Recoleta & the Birth of Tango
The odds at the time were in favor of the prostitutes, who were selective about with whom they sold their wares and so the provocative cat and mouse dance gave the men a chance to impress enough to address the issue of undressing.
Other attractions include the Glass Palace which is now a gallery but in the 30´s was a popular place for the weel-heeled to ice-skate; The National Gallery, home to many important works both old and new; weekly férias (street fairs) and plenty of shopping.
The zone of Recoleta is now considered one of the most desirable addresses in Buenos Aires.
The Recoleta Cemetery
The cemetery is built around their convent and a church, Our Lady of Pilar (Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar), built in 1732. The order was disbanded in 1822, and the garden of the convent was converted into the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires.
The 1822 layout was done by architect and civil engineer Próspero Catelin,[5] who also designed the current facade of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral. The cemetery was last remodeled in 1881, while Torcuato de Alvear was mayor of the city, by the Italian architect Juan Antonio Buschiazzo.
More on the cemetery at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Recoleta_Cemetery
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