Recoleta

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For the municipality in Chile, see Recoleta (municipality).

**Recoleta**
Area	5.4 km²
Population	188,780
Density	/km²
Comuna	C2


Important sites	Recoleta cemetery, Café La Biela, Recoleta Cultural Centre

Recoleta is a 'barrio' or neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a historic area, much frequented by tourists and the city's residents for its cafés, galleries and the famous Recoleta cemetery. It is the only barrio in the administrative division Comuna 2.

Recoleta is part of the area known as Barrio Norte, together with the neighbouring barrios of Retiro, Palermo and the northern part of Balvanera. Like its neighbours, Recoleta is an affluent residential district, initially populated by citizens escaping the 1871 yellow fever epidemic. Recoleta is one of the most expensive places to live in Buenos Aires, both in terms of real estate and of the cost of living. Even dying here is costly, as mausolea in the Recoleta cemetery cost thousands of dollars each.

Recoleta centers on a square in front of the Cemetery and the neighbouring Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar. This was a relatively high point on the banks of the river and served as a hiding place for bandits in the 17th century. In the early 18th century, French Franciscans known as the 'Padres Recoletos' built a chapel and convent in the area. The Jesuits also arrived and built the Basilica, completed in 1732. This colonial-style church is fitted with a magnificent Baroque altar, brought from Peru, decorated with Jujuy silver and pre-Hispanic ornamentation.

The Recoleta Cemetery's status as a tourist attraction is rivaled by few; some compare it to Père Lachaise in Paris. It was designed by Prospero Catelin of France, following a proposal by Bernardino Rivadavia, and opened in 1822 as a public cemetery for ordinary citizens. Now it hosts many former Presidents and, most famously, Eva Perón, in mausolea of marble, bronze and granite.

Floralis generica, a big moving sculpture by Eduardo Catalano intended to be an icon of Buenos Aires

The barrio has been referred to as the 'Paris of the Americas'. Many French-style palaces and villas were built in the area, especially on Avenida Alvear, and the verdant squares are known for their cafés. Recoleta hosts one of the best and most expensive hotels in Latin America, the five-star Hotel Alvear, a grand 1932 palace. Nearby are other mansions built by the most important families of Buenos Aires, some used as embassies. Café La Biela is one of the city's most famous cafés and is patronized by authors, politicians, and other celebrities. On the square facing the cemetery is an enormous rubber tree; its huge tentacle-like lower branches cast shade over La Biela's popular terrace. Known as the 'Gran Gomero', it was planted in 1878 and is 50 metres wide.

Nightlife here is very active too, with the pedestrian passage RM Ortíz known for its restaurants.

Next to the Basilica, on the site of the Franciscan convent, is the Recoleta Cultural Centre, a major gallery for contemporary visual art, set in a dark pink chapel. Nearby is the Buenos Aires Design mall, with many shops highlighting the latest designs in homeware and interior design. There are many bars in this area. The belle époque Palais de Glace, originally an ice rink and ballroom, now serves as an exhibition centre. It was here in 1915 that Carlos Gardel was wounded after being shot by Che Guevara's father, Ernesto Guevara Lynch, as a result of a bar room brawl. The Jockey Club moved to Recoleta in 1968 and serves wealthy horse breeders. Nearby are the National Library, the National Museum of Fine Arts and the University of Buenos Aires Law Faculty.