Monserrat

Neighbourhood: Monserrat

Lucila Piasek y Ramiro Kiel

Places:









4. Former National Library
Located in Mexico 564

Information:

1. The neighborhood of Monserrat was named after this church, as was customary in Buenos Aires in the early years. This is how historian Felipe Pigna explains it.

2. This block was named “Manzana de la Luces” (Block of the Light) because in the 19th century, the institutions located here were considered to enlighten the city with education, culture and scientific knowledge. A large network of underground tunnels that connected these buildings with different strategic points of the city originated from here.

3. The Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires (National High School of Buenos Aires), the most prestigious in the country, dates back to the 18th century. Writer Miguel Cane, former student of the institution, found his inspiration to write Juvenilia during his years here. Another man of thought who remembers his time spent at this school is journalist and writer Martin Caparros.
4. The National Library was located in this building until 1993. Jorge Luis Borges was its director and at this the time he began to lose his sight. The writer describes the magic there is in libraries