Maldonado Stream, Underground stream through Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Maldonado Stream is an underground waterway running beneath Juan B. Justo Avenue, linking neighborhoods from Versalles to Palermo. It operates through a system of drainage tunnels designed to manage water during heavy rainfall.
The stream originally served as a natural boundary of Buenos Aires until authorities decided in 1924 to enclose it due to flooding and contamination. Major construction work between 2007 and 2012 created the modern underground infrastructure that exists today.
The stream was named after a woman who accompanied Spanish explorer Pedro de Mendoza during Buenos Aires' founding in 1536. This name reflects the city's early colonial period and remains part of local identity.
The system lies hidden beneath Juan B. Justo Avenue, so visitors cannot access or view it directly, but the street above remains open and shows the surface presence of this infrastructure. It makes sense to visit during or after rainfall to understand how the water management system functions in practice.
The construction project required massive quantities of steel reinforcement and cement to build the underground structures. This engineering feat demonstrates how cities transform historic waterways into modern infrastructure systems.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
