Plaza Rocha, Public square in La Plata, Argentina

Plaza Rocha is an octagonal square at the intersection of avenues 7 and 60 and diagonals 73 and 78 in La Plata. At its center stands the Monument to Rocha, inaugurated in 1934, made of Mar del Plata stone by César Sforza, with a medallion of the founder's effigy and a frieze of reliefs depicting scenes from his life.

Plaza Rocha was laid out in 1882 by engineer Pedro Benoit as part of the plan for La Plata, founded as the new capital of Buenos Aires Province under Governor Dardo Rocha. It received Rocha's name in 1922, after his death. The Monument to Rocha, by César Sforza in Mar del Plata stone, was inaugurated in 1934. In 1905 the province ceded a lot on the plaza's edge to the new National University of La Plata.

The central monument displays carved reliefs that represent civic ideals and national values, crafted from local stone. The design reflects how important these concepts were to the city when it was planned.

The plaza is centrally located in La Plata and easy to reach on foot, as several major avenues run through it. You can walk around freely and find places to sit and rest throughout the space.

The plaza follows an unusual octagonal layout where diagonal streets intersect at the corners. This geometric pattern was part of La Plata's innovative city plan from the 1880s, which stood apart from typical grid designs of that era.