Villa Ocampo, Cultural mansion in Beccar, Argentina.
Villa Ocampo is a mansion in Beccar with a salmon-pink facade, a dark gray mansard roof with three dormer windows, and a covered veranda supported by pale columns. Its eclectic architecture combines British and French influences, and it is surrounded by an 11,000 m² historical garden. The house holds a library of 12,000 books, photographs, letters, and personal papers of Victoria Ocampo.
Manuel Silvino Ocampo built the house in 1891 for Francisca Ocampo de Ocampo, who left it to his five daughters. Victoria moved in permanently in 1941 and donated it to UNESCO in 1973. A 2003 roof fire destroyed books and furniture; restoration ended in 2013.
The residence served as a meeting place for international writers and artists who visited Victoria Ocampo. The rooms reflect how this circle of creative figures gathered and engaged with one another.
The house stands at Elortondo 1837 in Beccar, on a plot of about one hectare between Avenida del Libertador and the Río de la Plata. The 11,000 m² garden and the restored rooms are visited on guided tours, so check the current opening days before travelling. The 2003 fire damaged the north wing roof, and the ten-year restoration that ended in 2013 added the infrastructure for public visits.
The basement contains an original 1914 Otis elevator that remains in its initial form. This early lift demonstrates the modern conveniences that wealthy households of the era adopted.
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