Las Heras Park, Buenos Aires, Public park in Palermo, Argentina

Las Heras Park is a roughly 12-hectare public park in Palermo, bounded by General Las Heras and Coronel Díaz avenues and Jerónimo Salguero and Juncal streets. Its lowest grassy area lies in front of a low black metal fence with vertical bars; inside are a blue-green arched swing frame with a red crossbar, a small red slide and a yellow climbing structure on dirt, among tall trees.

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.

The park's name comes from General Las Heras Avenue, named for Juan Gregorio de Las Heras, a soldier in the independence wars. In the centre of the former prison grounds stands the Claudio Marangoni football school, and a carousel operates on the northern side. The tall old palms are said to be the ones that once grew inside the penitentiary.

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.

The tall, old palm trees standing in the park today are said to be the ones that once grew inside the National Penitentiary compound. They survived the 1961–62 demolition and now stand among the lawns and playgrounds.