Las Heras Park, Buenos Aires, Public park in Palermo, Argentina
Las Heras Park is a 12-hectare public garden in Palermo with walking trails, planted areas, and recreation spaces bordered by General Las Heras Avenue and Coronel Díaz Avenue. The grounds include playgrounds, restroom facilities, and multiple zones for outdoor activities and gatherings.
The park was built on the site of the National Penitentiary, a maximum-security prison constructed between 1872 and 1876 and demolished in 1962. This transformation of a prison compound into public green space represents a significant shift in the city's urban evolution.
Granite memorial blocks and plaques throughout the grounds honor General Juan José Valle and others executed here in 1956. These markers have become part of how locals experience and remember this space.
The grounds are open year-round at no cost, with paths for walking and areas for exercise and relaxation in green space. Visitors should note that conditions can vary by season, so it is best to explore during daylight hours.
Local residents once called the area 'La Tierra del Fuego' because the former prison's design resembled the penitentiary in Ushuaia. This nickname has faded over time but reflects how the original structure's appearance shaped people's perception of the place.
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