It's a strong statement, I know. Buenos Aires is a city known for its architecture, and I believe it must be the city that, although not in Europe, has the largest number of European-style buildings. In the Argentine capital, there are hundreds of beautiful buildings, many of which have been preserved as heritage sites or restored to be transformed into hotels, restaurants, and cultural centers. So, I know choosing one over all the others isn't easy, but let me give you my arguments in favor of this architectural gem of the city. >Es una afirmación fuerte, lo sé. Buenos Aires es una ciudad que destaca por su arquitectura y creo que debe ser la ciudad que, sin estar en Europa, cuenta con la mayor cantidad de edificios de estilo europeo. En la capital argentina hay centenares de edificios hermosos, muchos de los cuales han sido preservados como patrimonio o restaurados para ser transformados en hoteles, restaurantes y centros culturales. Entonces, sé que escoger uno por encima de todos los demás no es fácil, pero permítanme darles mis argumentos en favor de esta joya arquitectónica de la ciudad.  |  --- | ---  |  --- From a distance, you can appreciate the imposing nature of the Palacio Libertad, located a couple of blocks from the Casa Rosada and Parque Colón. Built in the last century and inaugurated in 1928, the building first served as the Central Post Office (which is why it still preserves an old mailbox and a statue commemorating this event near its facade) and has since changed names several times. In 2010, it reopened as the Bicentennial Cultural Center, and a couple of years later, it was renamed the Kirchner Cultural Center (or CCK), the name I first recognized it by during my visit to the Argentine capital. However, last year, its name was changed again to the Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Cultural Center. Now, regardless of its name, there's no denying that this is a perfectly preserved architectural gem that impresses from just a couple of blocks away. The first thing I noticed was the size of the building, and then, as I got closer, the size of the central statue, which honors Juana Azurduy, a heroine of Argentine independence. Once I was close enough, the sense of immensity of the place completely engulfs me. I spent a long time admiring the façade from different distances and angles, observing the details, not only to photograph them but also to preserve them in my memory. That entire facade, with the square, the statue, and the building behind it with that beautiful dome, was the first spot I saw in the city that truly impressed me. And of course, I had to go inside.  |  --- | ---  |  >Desde la distancia, se puede apreciar lo imponente que es el Palacio Libertad, ubicado a un par de cuadras de la Casa Rosada y el Parque Colón. Construido el siglo pasado e inaugurado en 1928, el edificio funcionó primero como Correo Central (por eso aún conserva cerca de su fachada un buzón de correos antiguo y una estatua que hace referencia al hecho) y luego ha cambiado de nombre varias veces. En 2010 fue reabierto como Centro Cultural del Bicentenario y un par de años más tarde se renombró como Centro Cultural Kirchner (o CCK), nombre con el cual lo conocí yo en mi visita a la capital argentina, pero el año pasado se volvió a cambiar el nombre al Centro Cultural a Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. Ahora bien, sin importar el nombre que tenga no se puede negar que se trata de una joya arquitectónica perfectamente preservada que impacta desde que uno se encuentra a un par de cuadras de distancia. Lo primero que noté fue el tamaño del edificio y luego, a medida que me acercaba, el tamaño de la estatua central, que rinde honores a Juana Azurduy, heroína de la independencia argentina. Estando lo suficientemente cerca la sensación de inmensidad del lugar te cobija por completo. Me quedé un buen rato admirando la fachada desde diferentes distancias y ángulos, viendo los detalles, no sólo para fotografiarlos sino también para conservarlos en mi memoria. Todo ese frontis, con la plaza, la estatua y el edificio detrás con esa hermosa cúpula fue el primer spot que vi en la ciudad argentina que realmente me impresionó. Y por supuesto, tenía que entrar.  |  --- | ---  |  # The building, inside, is as beautiful as the outside. Stained-glass windows, restored hallways with their original floors, chandeliers, and of course the exhibition halls—because it's a cultural center—displaying sculptures, poems, paintings, and a host of activities. I visited the palace the same Friday I arrived in the city and returned to it on Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday because the weekend's lineup was very interesting. >El edificio, por dentro, es tan hermoso como por fuera. Vitrales, pasillos restaurados con el piso original, las lámparas y por supuesto las salas de exposición - porque se trata de un centro cultural - exhibiendo esculturas, poemas, cuadros y un montón de actividades. Conocí el palacio el mismo viernes que llegué a la ciudad y volví a él el sábado por la tarde y también el domingo porque la cartelera de ese fin de semana estaba muy interesante. The first thing I did was walk through the halls and see art exhibits, some sculptures, and poems. That first tour was just to get to know the building, to walk through it for the pleasure of being there. On my next visit, I attended a gastronomic event in the outdoor plaza where I enjoyed some pizzas in the company of some Brazilian tourists—I didn't take any photos of that moment—and then I went inside because I had tickets for an afternoon concert reviving the music that, in the 1960s and 1970s, was played on Argentine radio—and also in many neighboring countries—and I was impressed by the beauty of the auditorium, its acoustics, and the production of the staging, which ended with balloons falling from the ceiling amid the jubilation of an audience that sang every single song. That day I was able to see the building's facade illuminating the Buenos Aires night, and it was a beautiful sight. On my third and final visit, I entered an immersive exhibition about _The Little Prince_, that immortal jewel of literature, and then sat down to read for a while (_Greek Lessons_ by Han Kang) while waiting to enter a double feature of French cinema. _The Story of Adéle H._ and _The Last Metro_, both by Truffaut, were the program that afternoon in a room that, despite not being big, I also found to be clean and with good acoustics. One of the things I liked most about the Cultural Center was the cleanliness of every space and the preservation of the building in every corner, which of course helps to further enhance the experience.   |