Buenos Aires—A Historical Perspective

History of Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has had a rocky and chequered history, marked by periods of unimaginable prosperity and grinding poverty. Medical tourism travelers to the city of Buenos Aires would be interested to know that the city was founded twice in its history. The first was in the year 1536 when Pedro de Mendoza was sent by King Carlos I of Spain to colonize the area. This settlement met an early end at the hands of the natives, and in 1580, the second and more permanent settlement was established by Juan de Garay. From the very beginning, Buenos Aires has thrived on trade and commerce, and there even existed a flourishing contraband goods market in Buenos Aires. A former Spanish colony, Argentina and (Buenos Aires) officially became independent on July 9, 1816. Buenos Aires was declared the capital of the country by President Nicolás Avellandea on September 21st 1880.

History of Nomenclature

Buenos Aires is steeped in history. Medical tourism vacationers might not know that there is an interesting story behind the naming of the city. According to historians, the original fleet of Pedro de Mendoza had two priests who worshipped the Virgine di Bonaria (the Virgin of Buen Aire or “fair winds”) and prevailed on de Mendoza to name the city after the Virgin. The city was initially established as Ciudad de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre which literally means "City of Our Lady Saint Mary of the Fair Winds" on February 2, 1536.

Buenos Aires has weathered wars and uprisings through most of its turbulent history. Staring with its war of independence in the early 1800s, blockades during both the World Wars, civil uprisings like the Revolución Libertadora in 1955, the military coup of 1976…the list is long. At the dawn of the 20^th century, Buenos Aires became the first city in South America to boast of a subway network. Buenos Aires has long been a favoured destination for European settlers and lately, medical tourism seekers. This has given a diverse, multicultural identity to the city.

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