San Martín Palace, Beaux-Arts palace in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
San Martín Palace is a Beaux-Arts mansion in Buenos Aires featuring symmetrical facades, tall columns, and elaborate details in Italian marble and regional materials. Inside, grand staircases connect multiple salons decorated with plasterwork and painted ceilings that divide the spaces.
The palace was built in 1909 by architect Alejandro Christophersen for the wealthy Castellanos de Anchorena family. It later passed into state ownership and has served as the Foreign Ministry headquarters for decades.
The palace represents Argentine architectural evolution, combining European Beaux-Arts principles with national identity through its design and construction methods.
The palace sits near Plaza San Martín and is easily accessible from several major avenues. Visitors should note that the building is an active government residence and opens for tours only on special occasions.
The building uses colors and materials deliberately chosen to blend with the South American landscape rather than simply copy European designs. This choice makes the palace an early example of adapting international architectural styles to the local setting.
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