Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, in
Buenos Aires Province
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. It is the seat of
General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a shortening of "Mar del Rio de la Plata," and has the meaning of "sea of the
Rio de la Plata basin
Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil.
Rio or Río may also refer to:
Geography Brazil
* Rio de Janeiro
* Rio do Sul, a ...
" or "adjoining sea to the (River) Plate region". Mar del Plata is one of the major fishing ports and the biggest seaside
beach resort
A seaside resort is a resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, suc ...
in Argentina.
With a population of 614,350 as per the , it is the
5th largest city in Argentina.
Economy
As part of the Argentine recreational coast,
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
is Mar del Plata's main economic activity with seven million tourists visiting the city in 2006. Mar del Plata has a sophisticated tourist infrastructure with numerous hotels, restaurants, casinos, theatres and other tourist attractions. Mar del Plata is also an important sports centre with a multi-purpose
Olympic
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...
style
stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
(first used for the
1978 World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June.
The Cup was won by ...
and later upgraded for the
1995 Pan American Games), five golf courses and many other facilities.
As an important
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
port, industry concentrates on fish processing and at least two large shipyards.
The area is also host to other light industry, such as textile, food manufacturing and
polymers
A polymer (; Greek '' poly-'', "many" + ''-mer'', "part")
is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules called macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits. Due to their broad spectrum of properties, both synthetic an ...
.
There is a well-developed packaging machines industry, its quality being recognized in international markets. One of these companies was one of the pioneers in the automatic packaging of
tea bag
A tea bag, or the compound teabag, is a small, porous, sealed bag or packet, typically containing tea leaves or the leaves of other herbs, which is immersed in water to steep and make an infusion. Originally used only for tea (''Camellia ...
s, exporting its original machine-designs abroad. Another company also exports its products and has sold
royalties
A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
to other countries.
During the mid-1980s, Mar del Plata saw the birth of electronics factories, focused mostly on the telecommunications field, with two of them, Nexuscom and DelSat, succeeding in the international market. By the 2010s, a local
technology company
A technology company (or tech company) is an electronics-based technological company, including, for example, business relating to digital electronics, software, and internet-related services, such as e-commerce services.
Details
According to ''Fo ...
, PCBOX, was manufacturing and developing
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
s,
tablet computer
A tablet computer, commonly shortened to tablet, is a mobile device, typically with a mobile operating system and touchscreen display processing circuitry, and a rechargeable battery in a single, thin and flat package. Tablets, being comput ...
s,
smartphones
A smartphone is a portable computer device that combines mobile telephone and computing functions into one unit. They are distinguished from feature phones by their stronger hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, which ...
and
action-cams.
Also during the decade of 2010, the development of the
software industry
The software industry includes businesses for development, maintenance
Maintenance may refer to:
Biological science
* Maintenance of an organism
* Maintenance respiration
Non-technical maintenance
* Alimony, also called ''maintenance ...
resulted in the formation of 92 companies and 440 microbusiness. One of these companies, Making Sense, opened offices at
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
,
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
and
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, in the United States. Along with the American COPsync, Inc, the company developed in 2013 the software for VidTac, an in-car video system for law enforcement, and the internet
landing page In online marketing, a landing page, sometimes known as a "lead capture page", "single property page", "static page", "squeeze page" or a "destination page", is a single web page that appears in response to clicking on a search engine optimized se ...
application Lander, bought by the
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo County ...
company QuestionPro in 2016.
Since the 2000s, a local company builds and develops
oil industry
The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The larges ...
equipment, with customers in the United States, Russia,
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
and
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
.
Located southwest of the city there are
quartzite
Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...
quarries. The stone is traditionally used in construction. There is a huge area of
farms
A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
in the rural areas surrounding the city, specialized mostly in the cultivation of
vegetables
Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, ...
. In 2012, Mar del Plata became a wine-producing area, when a wine company from
Mendoza province
Mendoza, officially Province of Mendoza, is a province of Argentina, in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders San Juan to the north, La Pampa and Neuquén to the south, San Luis to the east, and the republic o ...
produced 20,000 lt from a vineyard at Chapadmalal beach from
grape varieties
This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried (raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see Viti ...
such as
Sauvignon blanc
is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words ''sauvage'' ("wild") and ''blanc'' ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in ...
,
Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern French wine, France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from English wine, Englan ...
,
Riesling
Riesling (, ; ) is a white grape variety that originated in the Rhine region. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet, and sparkling wh ...
and
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer () is an aromatic wine grape variety, used in white wines, and performs best in cooler climates. In English, it is sometimes referred to colloquially as Gewürz (; although this is never the case in German, because "Gewürz" me ...
. Since then, the local winery turned into a tourist attraction.
Microbeweries flourished during the 2010s, amounting by 2016 to one third of the national production.
Although the area had suffered from a high rate of unemployment from 1995 to 2003, Mar del Plata has seen 46,000 new jobs created from the third quarter of 2003 to the third quarter of 2008, representing an increase of 22%.
The
2008 Davis Cup
The 2008 Davis Cup was the 97th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men's tennis. Sixteen teams participated in the World Group and more than one hundred others took part in different regional groups. The first mat ...
Final was held in Mar del Plata and, after being shut for a decade the
Gran Hotel Provincial (one of the largest hotels in Argentina) was reopened by the
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
-based
NH Hotels
NH Hotel Group is a Spanish multinational hotel company headquartered in Madrid, that operates over 350 hotels in 28 countries, currently under the Anantara, NH Collection, nhow Hotels, Tivoli, NH Hotels, Elewana Collection and Avani brands. The ...
, in 2009.
Mar del Plata continues to lead Argentina's room availability: of 440,000 registered hotel rooms nationwide in early 2009, the city was home to nearly 56,000 (5,000 more than
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
).
Transportation
Mar del Plata is served by
Astor Piazzolla International Airport
Ástor Piazzolla International Airport ( es, link=no, Aeropuerto Internacional de Mar del Plata "Ástor Piazzolla", ), also known as Mar del Plata Airport, is an airport serving Mar del Plata, an Atlantic coastal city in the Buenos Aires Provin ...
(MDQ/SAZM) with daily flights to Buenos Aires served by
Aerolíneas Argentinas
Aerolíneas Argentinas, formally Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A., is Argentina's largest airline and the country flag carrier. The airline was created in 1949 from the merger of four companies and started operations in . A consortium led by Iberia ...
and
Sol Líneas Aéreas
SOL S.A. Líneas Aéreas was an Argentine airline founded in 2005, and operating since August 2006 pursuant to an agreement between Transatlántica Group and the government of Santa Fe Province, who sought to improve air connections between the ...
and weekly flights to Patagonia served by
LADE Lade may refer to:
People
* Brendon Lade (born 1976), an Australian rules footballer
* Sir John Lade (1759–1838), a baronet and Regency horse-breeder
* Heinrich Eduard von Lade (1817–1904), a German banker and amateur astronomer
* The Jarls o ...
.
Due to
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, flights were reduced just to two daily flights to Buenos Aires served by Aerolineas Argentinas.
Highway 2 connects Mar del Plata with Buenos Aires and Route 11 connects it through the coastline, ending at
Miramar, south of Mar del Plata. Route 88 connects to
Necochea
Necochea is a port and beach city in the southwest of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The city is located on the Atlantic coast, along the mouth of the Quequén Grande River, from Buenos Aires and southwest of Mar del Plata. The city proper ha ...
and Route 226 to
Balcarce,
Tandil
Tandil is the main city of the homonymous Partidos of Buenos Aires, partido (department), located in Argentina, in the southeast of Buenos Aires Province, just north-northwest of Tandilia hills. The city was founded in 1823 and its name originate ...
and
Olavarría.
The city has a
bus and train station serving most cities in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
. There are two daily trains to Buenos Aires'
Constitución station using new trains operated by
Trenes Argentinos
Operadora Ferroviaria Sociedad del Estado (abbreviated SOFSE; trading name: Trenes Argentinos Operaciones) is an Argentine state-owned company created in 2008 to operate passenger services in Argentina. It is a subsidiary of the Ferrocarriles Ar ...
. These services are part of the
General Roca Railway
The General Roca Railway (FCGR) (native name: Ferrocarril General Roca) is a broad gauge railway in Argentina which runs from Constitución station in Buenos Aires to the south of the country through the provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, ...
, owned by the government company
Nuevos Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
;Notes
*
(1) ''Its tracks were extended to connect with the bus terminal opened in 2009, also building new train platforms.''
*
(2) ''Operated as the bus terminal of the city until 2009.''
History
Pre-Spanish era: The region was inhabited by ''Günuna Kena'' nomads (also known as northern
Tehuelches
The Tehuelche people, also called the Aónikenk, are an indigenous people from eastern Patagonia in South America. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Tehuelche were influenced by Mapuche people, and many adopted a horseriding lifestyle. Once a ...
). They were later (after the 11th century) strongly influenced by the
Mapuche
The Mapuche ( (Mapuche & Spanish: )) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who sha ...
culture.
1577–1857: First European explorers.
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 (t ...
made a reconnaissance of the coast and its
sea lion
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear flaps, long foreflippers, the ability to walk on all fours, short and thick hair, and a big chest and belly. Together with the fur seals, they make up the family Otariidae, eared seals. ...
colonies; Don
Juan de Garay
Juan de Garay (1528–1583) was a Spanish conquistador.
Garay's birthplace is disputed. Some say it was in the city of Junta de Villalba de Losa in Castile, while others argue he was born in the area of Orduña (Basque Country). There's ...
explored the area by land a few years later, in 1581. In 1742, during the
War of Jenkins' Ear
The War of Jenkins' Ear, or , was a conflict lasting from 1739 to 1748 between Britain and the Spanish Empire. The majority of the fighting took place in New Granada and the Caribbean Sea, with major operations largely ended by 1742. It is con ...
, eight survivors of , part of
Admiral Anson expedition, and led by midshipman Isaac Morris, lived through a ten-month ordeal before being decimated and captured by the Tehuelches, who eventually handed them to the Spaniards. After holding the Englishmen as prisoners, they returned Morris and his surviving companions to London in 1746. First colonization attempt by
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
Order near
Laguna de los Padres
Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to:
People
* Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay
* Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist
* Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet ...
ended in disaster (1751).
1857–1874: The
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
entrepreneur José Coelho de Meirelles, taking advantage of the country's abundance of wild cattle, built a pier and a factory for
salted meat
Salt-cured meat or salted meat is meat or fish preserved or Curing (food preservation), cured with salt. Salting (food), Salting, either with edible salt, dry salt or brine, was a common method of preserving meat until the middle of the 20th ce ...
near
Cabo Corrientes, but the business only lasted a few years.
1874–1886:
Patricio Peralta Ramos
Patricio Peralta Ramos (May 17, 1814April 25, 1887) was an Argentine businessman and landowner prominent in the foundation of the seaside city of Mar del Plata.
Life and times
Patricio Peralta Ramos was born in the San Nicolás, a Buenos Aires ...
acquired the now abandoned factory along with the surrounding terrain, and founded the town on February 10, 1874.
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
rancher Pedro Luro bought a part of Peralta Ramos land for agricultural production. First docks also erected around this time.
1886–1911: The railway line from
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
, built by the
Buenos Aires Great Southern reached Mar del Plata in 1886; the first hotels started their activity. The upper-class people from
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
became the first tourists of the new born village. They also established a local government that reflected their conservative ideals. Build-up of a French style resort. On 19 July 1907, the provincial legislature approved a bill that declared Mar del Plata as a city.
1911–1930: The residents, mostly newly arrived emigrants from Europe, demanded and obtained the control of the Municipality administration. The socialists were the mainstream political force in this period, carrying out social reforms and public investment. The main port was also built and inaugurated in 1916.
1930–1946: A military coup reinstated the
Conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
hegemony in politics through electoral fraud and corruption, but at local levels they were quite progressive, their policies viewed in some way as a continuity of the socialist trend. In 1932, the construction of
National Route 2 was completed, which connected Mar del Plata to Buenos Aires. Before this, a dirt road connected Mar del Plata to Buenos Aires using a different route, required almost two days to travel by car.
[''El camino a Mar del Plata'', Dirección Nacional de Vialidad, 1934] The seaside ''Casino'' complex opened in 1939, was designed by architect
Alejandro Bustillo
Alejandro Bustillo (18 March 1889 – 3 November 1982) was an Argentine painter and architect who left his mark in various tourist destinations in Argentina, especially in the Andean region of the Patagonia.
Biography
Born in Buenos Aires, son ...
, dates from this period.
1946–1955: Birth of the
Peronist
Peronism, also called justicialism,. The Justicialist Party is the main Peronist party in Argentina, it derives its name from the concept of social justice., name=, group= is an Argentine political movement based on the ideas and legacy of Ar ...
movement. A coalition between socialists and radicals defeated this new party by a narrow margin in Mar del Plata, but by 1948 Peronism came to dominate the local administration. The massive tourism, triggered by the
welfare politics of
Perón and the surge of the middle class marked a huge growth in the city's economy.
1955–1970: After the
fall of Perón, the
socialists
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the eco ...
regained the upper hand in local politics; the city reached the peak in activities like construction business and building industry. There was massive emigration from other regions of Argentina.
1970–1989: Slight decline of tourism demand, counterbalanced by the increase of other industries such as fishing and machinery. General infrastructure renewal under the military rule. The centrist
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union ( es, Unión Cívica Radical, UCR) is a centrist and social-liberal political party in Argentina. It has been ideologically heterogeneous, ranging from social liberalism to social democracy. The UCR is a member of the So ...
becomes the main political force after the
return of Democracy in 1983.
1989–2010: Though the
Peronism
Peronism, also called justicialism,. The Justicialist Party is the main Peronist party in Argentina, it derives its name from the concept of social justice., name=, group= is an Argentine political movement based on the ideas and legacy of Ar ...
replaced the radicals in central government amid a national financial crisis, the latter party continued to rule in Mar del Plata. Some resurgence of mass tourism in the early '90s was followed by a deep social crisis in town, with an increase of poverty, jobless rates and emigration. By contrast, the first decade of the 21st century shows an amazingly quick recovery in all sectors of the ailing economy.
In November 2005 the city hosted the
4th Summit of the Americas
The 4th Summit of the Americas was held at Mar del Plata, about southeast of Buenos Aires in Argentina, on November 4–5, 2005.
This summit gathered together the leaders of all the countries of the American continent, except Cuba. Major se ...
.
Culture
Mar del Plata is the most popular destination for conventions in Argentina after
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
. Mar del Plata has a wide range of services in this sector. The summer season hosts over fifty theatrical plays.
Shows and festivals
* The
Mar del Plata International Film Festival
The Mar del Plata International Film Festival ( es, Festival Internacional de Cine de Mar del Plata) is an international film festival that takes place every November in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. It is the only competitive feature fest ...
, the only competitive accredited film festival in Latin America.
* The ''Fiesta Nacional del Mar'' ("
National Sea Festival The National Sea Festival ( es, Fiesta Nacional del Mar) is a festival held annually at Mar del Plata, Argentina since 1910, during the month of February to celebrate the summer season. The event is organized by the municipal government since 1952 ...
") with the election and coronation of the ''Sea Queen'' and her princesses, which takes place in December as the official inauguration of the summer season.
* The ''Premios Estrella de Mar'' ("
Sea Star Awards") which honor the best stage plays and shows of the season.
* The Valencian
Falles
The Falles ( ca-valencia, Falles; es, Fallas) is a traditional celebration held annually in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia, Spain. The five main days celebrated are from 15 to 19 March, while the Mascletà, a pyrotechnic ...
week, a local reenactment of the
Valencian
Valencian () or Valencian language () is the official, historical and traditional name used in the Valencian Community (Spain), and unofficially in the Carche, El Carche comarca in Región de Murcia, Murcia (Spain), to refer to the Romance lan ...
event conducted by the Valencian community.
* The Mar del Plata Fashion Show, along with a number of fashion parades that gathers the best
haute couture
''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became th ...
designers.
* The ''Fiesta Nacional de los Pescadores'' (
National Fishermen's Festival), a colourful display of seafarers' tradition and cuisine.
* Mar del Plata has also hosted the
1995 Pan American Games, the
2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens
The 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens was the third edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens and was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. New Zealand defeated Australia to win the tournament for the first time. This was the first major rugby event ever held ...
, the 2003
Parapan American Games
The Parapan American Games is an international multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities held every four years after every Pan American Games. The first Games were held in 1999 in Mexico City, Mexico. The 2003 Parapan American Ga ...
, the 2005
FIBA Under-21 World Championship
The FIBA Under-21 World Championship was a men's under-21-only basketball competition organized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). It was known as the FIBA 22 & Under World Championship before FIBA lowered the age limit to 21 year ...
, and co-hosted the
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June.
The Cup was won by t ...
and the
2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Argentina between 17 June and 8 July 2001. The 2001 championship was the 13th contested. The tournament took part in six cities, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, and Mar de ...
.
* Since 1987 Mar del Plata annually hosts the
Mar del Plata Marathon The Maratón de Mar del Plata is an annual marathon foot-race which takes place in Mar del Plata, Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South ...
, in early December.
* The 38th and 53rd
International Mathematical Olympiad
The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is a mathematical olympiad for pre-university students, and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959. It has since been held annually, except i ...
was held in Mar del Plata in 1997 and 2012.
* The ''Festival Internacional de Poesia del Atlantico''
International Poetry Festival of the Atlantic, is an international poetry festival. It began in 2013 and for its second edition in 2014 it gathered more than 210 poets from Argentina,
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
,
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
,
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
,
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
and
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. It's part of the ''Moviento Poetico Mundial''
World Poetry Movement.
* The
Prosa Mutante is a cycle of literary experiences and
arts collective
An artist collective is an initiative that is the result of a group of artists working together, usually under their own management, towards shared aims. The aims of an artist collective can include almost anything that is relevant to the needs ...
established in January 2013 that takes place since then every Thursday from 20:00 at Piano Bar in which stage over 100 local, national and international artists have performed.
The local Government sponsors a Symphonic Orchestra.
Nightlife
Mar del Plata has a wide variety of clubs located by district: the area of Escollera Norte (known for its quantity of pubs and nightclubs) and Constitution Avenue.
Museums
* The
Juan Carlos Castagnino Municipal Museum of Art
The Juan Carlos Castagnino Municipal Museum of Art is a museum of fine arts in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Its building, the Ortiz Basualdo Villa, is a National Monument of Argentina.
Overview
Commissioned by the Ortíz Basualdo family of Buenos Air ...
.
* The Museum of the Port of Mar del Plata ''Cleto Ciocchini''.
* The Museum of Contemporary Art ''MAR''.
* The Museum of Natural Science ''Lorenzo Scaglia'', specialized in
Paleontology
Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...
of the
Quaternary
The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
species around the region.
* The
Mar del Plata Museum of the Sea, which included one of the most complete collections of sea
snails
A snail is, in loose terms, a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gastrop ...
of the World. The museum has been closed to the public since September 2012.
* Villa Victoria, a vintage wooden house, the former residence of the late writer
Victoria Ocampo
Ramona Victoria Epifanía Rufina Ocampo (7 April 1890 – 27 January 1979) was an Argentine writer and intellectual. Best known as an advocate for others and as publisher of the literary magazine '' Sur'', she was also a writer and critic in he ...
, now a place for art expositions and classical music.
* The Submarine Force Museum, located close to the Mar del Plata Naval Base.
Personalities
*
Gabriel Amato (born October 22, 1970), former international soccer player. Former forward of
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors () is an Argentine sports club headquartered in La Boca, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The club is mostly known for its professional football team which, since its promotion in 1913, has always played in the A ...
,
River Plate,
Rangers FC
Rangers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in the Govan district of Glasgow which plays in the Scottish Premiership. Although not its official name, it is often referred to as Glasgow Rangers outside Scotland. The fou ...
and
Grêmio.
*
Inés Arrondo
Inés Arrondo (born 28 November 1977) is a retired field hockey player from Argentina, who won the silver medal with the national women's hockey team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. ...
(born November 28, 1977),
field hockey
Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ci ...
player, winner along with the national team of an Olympic silver medal in
Sydney 2000
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...
, the bronze medal in
Athens 2004
The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...
and the World Cup in 2002.
*
Héctor Babenco
Héctor Eduardo Babenco (February 7, 1946July 13, 2016) was an Argentine-Brazilian film director, screenwriter, producer and actor who worked in several countries including Brazil, Argentina, and the United States. He was one of the first Braz ...
(1946–2016), movie director of
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
films such as ''
Kiss of the Spider Woman'' and ''
Ironweed''. Raised in Mar del Plata.
* Mario Benedetti (1945), electronics engineer, the main Argentine scientist involved in the
Large Hadron Collider
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's largest and highest-energy particle collider. It was built by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) between 1998 and 2008 in collaboration with over 10,000 scientists and hundred ...
project. He is also the owner of ''Tío Curzio'', one of the most fashionable restaurants in the city.
* Erica Vanessa Bibbó (1985), the first female commander of a naval unit in the
Argentine navy
The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the ...
.
*
Amado Boudou (born November 19, 1962), former Vice President of Argentina.
* Alberto Bruzzone (1907–1994), painter, was born in
San Juan but chose Mar del Plata as his home city.
*
Germán Burgos
Germán Adrián Ramón Burgos (; born 16 April 1969), nicknamed El Mono Burgos (), is an Argentine retired professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, currently a manager.
During his 15-year senior career, he played for Ferro Carril Oes ...
(born April 16, 1969), former goalkeeper who played two World Cups. Currently, he is oriented to music.
*
Macarena Achaga
Macarena Achaga Figueroa (; born March 5, 1992), known professionally as Macarena Achaga, is an Argentinian model, actress, singer, and television hostess. In 2012, she debuted as an actress on the Mexican television series '' Miss XV'' and was a ...
(born March 5, 1992), actress, model, and singer.
*
Homero Cárpena
Homero Cárpena (14 February 1910 – 17 January 2001) was an Argentine film actor born in Mar del Plata. He appeared in 72 films between 1933 and 1972 although the bulk of his work was in the late 1930s and 1940s. He starred in '' El hombre ...
(1910–2001), actor, playwright and filmmaker.
*
Juan Carlos Castagnino
Juan Carlos Castagnino (November 18, 1908April 21, 1972) was an Argentina, Argentine painter, architect, muralist and sketch artist.
Born in the rural village of Camet, near the city of Mar del Plata, he studied in the ''Escuela de Bellas Artes'' ...
(1908-1972), painter.
*
Juan Curuchet
Juan Esteban Curuchet (born 4 February 1965 in Mar del Plata) is a road bicycle racer and track cyclist from Argentina.
Curuchet represented Argentina at the Summer Olympics in 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008.
He won the madison at t ...
(born February 4, 1965), former
road bicycle racer
Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The two most common ...
and
track cyclist
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using purpose-designed track bicycles.
History
Track cycling has been around since at least 1870. When track cycling was in its infancy, it wa ...
, winner of the
Men's Madison gold medal at the
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
along with
Walter Pérez.
* Martin Donovan (not to be confused with American actor
Martin Donovan
Martin Donovan (born Martin Paul Smith; August 19, 1957) is an American actor. He has had a long collaboration with director Hal Hartley, appearing in many of his films, such as ''Trust'' (1990), '' Surviving Desire'' (1991), '' Simple Men'' (199 ...
), Hollywood screenwriter and producer, co-author of the screenplay of movies like ''
Death Becomes Her
''Death Becomes Her'' is a 1992 American satirical black comedy fantasy film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis. Written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan, it stars Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as rivals who fight for the affections of th ...
'' and ''
Loving Couples''.
* Laura Echarte,
agricultural engineer
Agricultural engineering, also known as agricultural and biosystems engineering, is the field of study and application of engineering science and designs principles for agriculture purposes, combining the various disciplines of mechanical enginee ...
, researcher in
crop
A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydroponic ...
physiology
Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical ...
studies, winner of a 2007
L'Oréal-Unesco international fellowship for Women.
*
Juan Eduardo Esnáider
''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, t ...
(1973), international soccer player. Former forward of
Espanyol de Barcelona,
Atlético de Madrid
Atlético, Spanish for ''athletics'', or Athletico in English, may refer to:
Sports Teams Athletico
* Athletico SC (Lebanon), a Lebanese football academy
* Athletic Bilbao, or Atletico Bilbao, Basque students athletic club (also forming Athletic ...
,
Juventus
Juventus Football Club (from la, iuventūs, 'youth'; ), colloquially known as Juve (), is a professional Association football, football club based in Turin, Piedmont, Italy, that competes in the Serie A, the top tier of the Italian football leagu ...
and River Plate.
*
Nacha Guevara
Nacha Guevara (born Clotilde Acosta, October 3, 1940) is an Argentine singer-songwriter, dancer, and actress from Mar de Plata, Buenos Aires province.
Biography
Trained as a dancer and actress, she discovered by chance a career as a singer beco ...
(1940), singer and actress.
*
Carlos Enrique Díaz Sáenz Valiente
Carlos Enrique Díaz Sáenz Valiente (25 January 1917 – 14 February 1956) was an Argentine sport shooter and racing driver . He was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina. He won the silver medal in 25 metre rapid fire pistol at the 1948 Summer ...
(1917–1956), shooter, silver medalist at the
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...
and World Champion in 1947.
*
Jorge Lanata
Jorge Lanata (born 12 September 1960) is an Argentine journalist and author. He founded the newspaper ''Página 12''. He hosts ''Lanata sin filtro'' on Radio Mitre and ''Periodismo para todos'' on El Trece. He writes a column in ''Clarín (Argent ...
(born September 12, 1960), journalist and writer.
*
Mariano Mignini (born 1975), Argentine footballer.
* Maria Gabriela Palomo,
marine biologist
Marine biology is the scientific study of the biology of marine life, organisms in the sea. Given that in biology many scientific classification, phyla, family (biology), families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others th ...
, also winner of the L'Oréal-
Unesco
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
junior award in 2003 for her works on port-areas environmental
pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...
.
*
Ástor Piazzolla
Astor Pantaleón Piazzolla (, ; March 11, 1921 – July 4, 1992) was an Argentine tango composer, bandoneon player, and arranger. His works revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed ''nuevo tango'', incorporating elements from ...
(1921-1992), composer and musician.
*
Ricardo Piglia
Ricardo Piglia (November 24, 1941 in Adrogué, Argentina – January 6, 2017 in Buenos Aires) was an Argentine author, critic, and scholar best known for introducing hard-boiled fiction to the Argentine public.
Biography
Born in Adrogué, Piglia ...
(1941–2017), writer born in
Adrogué
Adrogué () is a city in Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina, located 23 km south of Buenos Aires. It is the administrative headquarters for Almirante Brown Partido (county).
At slightly more than 30,000 inhabitants, it is a prominent residenti ...
but raised in Mar del Plata.
*
Alfonsina Storni
Alfonsina Storni (22 May 1892 – 25 October 1938) was an Argentine poet and playwright of the modernist period.
Early life
Storni was born on May 29, 1892 in Sala Capriasca, Switzerland. Her parents were Alfonso Storni and Paola Martignoni, w ...
(1892-1938), poet.
* Auro Tiribelli (1908–2006), architect, the main representative of the
Mar del Plata style
The Mar del Plata style ( es, Estilo Mar del Plata, or ) is a vernacular architectural style very popular during the decades between 1935 and 1950 mainly in the Argentine resort city of Mar del Plata, but extended to nearby coastal towns like ...
.
*
Guillermo Vilas
Guillermo Vilas (; born 17 August 1952) is an Argentine former professional tennis player. Vilas was the No. 1 of the Grand Prix seasons in 1974, 1975 and 1977, and won four Grand Slam tournaments, one year-end Masters, nine Grand Prix Super Se ...
(1952), top-ten international
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
player, popularizer of the between-the-legs
tweener shot, also called the
Gran Willy after him.
*
Selem Safar
Selem Safar (born 6 May 1987) is an Argentine professional basketball player of Syrian origin. He has also been a member the senior Argentine national basketball team, and their junior teams in the past.
Professional career
Safar has played in ...
(1987), professional basketball player.
*
Emi Buendía (1996) Footballer currently playing for
Aston Villa F.C
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Pa ...
.
*
Sergio Torres (1981), former player and player assistance manager for
Eastbourne Borough in
National League South
The National League South, formerly Conference South, is one of the second divisions of the National League in England, immediately below the top division National League. Along with National League North, it is in the second level of the N ...
.
*
Romina Malaspina (1994) Model, reality star, showgirl, influencer, television host, vedette, actress and journalist.
*
Emiliano Martínez
Damián Emiliano Martínez (born 2 September 1992) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest leve ...
(1992), Football player for
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Pa ...
* Franchu Feuillassier (1998), Football player for
SD Eibar
Sociedad Deportiva Eibar (in eu, Eibar Kirol Elkartea) is a professional Spanish football club based in Eibar, Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous Basque Country.
Founded on 30 November 1940, the team currently plays in the Segunda División, the s ...
* Shaiel Peters (2003) Archer, South American índoor Senior Champion, Argentinian Índoor Senior Champion and récord holder.
*
Milton Martinez (1991), professional skateboarder and 2019 Thrasher Magazine Skateboarder of the Year.
*
Marcos Siebert
Marcos Siebert (born 16 March 1996 in Mar del Plata) is an Argentine racing driver. He was the Italian F4 champion for the 2016 season.
Career
Karting
Born in Mar del Plata, Siebert began karting in 2004 at the age of eight, his highlights of ...
(1996), racing driver
Architecture
The development of the city as a seasonal summer resort in the early 20th century led upper class tourists from Buenos Aires to build a European-inspired architecture, based mainly on the
picturesque
Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in ''Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year ...
and later on the
art deco
Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
styles. This gave Mar del Plata the nickname of the ''Argentine
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
''. The
building industry
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and com ...
became the main non-seasonal activity of the town by 1920.
During the 1930s, 1940s, and beyond, local architects and builders, like Auro Tiribelli, Arturo Lemmi, Alberto Córsico-Picollini and Raúl Camusso recreated and transformed the picturesque values into a middle-class scale, marking the beginning of a
vernacular architecture
Vernacular architecture is building done outside any academic tradition, and without professional guidance. This category encompasses a wide range and variety of building types, with differing methods of construction, from around the world, bo ...
, called
Mar del Plata Style
The Mar del Plata style ( es, Estilo Mar del Plata, or ) is a vernacular architectural style very popular during the decades between 1935 and 1950 mainly in the Argentine resort city of Mar del Plata, but extended to nearby coastal towns like ...
, consisting in small samples of the luxury-laden summer residences of high society, built for the summer visitor as well as for the local resident.
These
chalet
A chalet (pronounced in British English; in American English usually ), also called Swiss chalet, is a type of building or house, typical of the Alpine region in Europe. It is made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof and wide, well-suppo ...
s were built with stone
''façades'',
gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
roofs covered with Spanish or French tiles, prominent
eaves
The eaves are the edges of the roof which overhang the face of a wall and, normally, project beyond the side of a building. The eaves form an overhang to throw water clear of the walls and may be highly decorated as part of an architectural styl ...
and front
porch
A porch (from Old French ''porche'', from Latin ''porticus'' "colonnade", from ''porta'' "passage") is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance of a building. A porch is placed in front of the facade of a building it commands, and form ...
es. This gives the town some distinctive urban character compared with other
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
cities, despite the fact that the growing mass of tourists in the '60s imposed the construction of large apartment buildings and skyscrapers as the predominant architectural style downtown.
Climate
Mar del Plata has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...
(''Cfb'', according to the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
), with humid and moderate summers and relatively cool winters, although polar
air masses from
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
are frequent. The average daily mean temperature in January is . It is in July. The West-Southwest winds can take the temperature below between mid May and early October, while the Southeast ones (the so-called ''
Sudestada Sudestada (''Southeast blow'') is the Argentinian name for a climatic phenomenon common to the Río de la Plata (an estuary formed by the combination of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the southeastern coastline of South America) and its ...
'') are stronger, producing coastal showers and rough seas, as well as strong squalls, but the cold is much less intense.
[Roccatagliata, pp. 167–174] There is
fog
Fog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. Reprint from Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus, and is heavily influ ...
in the last days of fall, and springtime is often marred by sea winds and sudden temperature changes.
The city's summer maximum temperatures fluctuate broadly around the average of : while there are many days between and (although less than in other areas of the Pampas region), strong on-shore or southerly winds can also keep temperatures closer to , and nights can sometimes be very cool even in midsummer (falling below sometimes). However, the summer nights are usually cool to pleasant, with values between to .
Traditionally, Easter is seen as the "last" weekend to go to the beach on the
Argentine Atlantic Coast, and average maximum temperatures are around at that time. While some years can have the last few days of about around that time, it is also possible to experience daily highs of .
Winter temperatures average during the day and at night; they sometimes climb to especially in August, but there are also days where highs stay below and temperatures fall some degrees below at night.
Spring brings the most variable weather, with heat waves bringing highs of more than followed by highs of to and perhaps a late-season frosty night all perfectly possible in October and November.
There are about six days of frost each year in the city center, and almost 27 recorded at the airport. The average dates for the first and last frost are May 23 and October 4 respectively.
Snowfall is not uncommon, but snow accumulation on the ground is rare, a phenomenon that takes place every six years or so, according to the last 40 years of data. Among the best known such occurrences in the last decades were the 1975 and 1991 snowstorms, but there were also snow accumulations in 1994 and 1997 in the highest hills area of
Sierra de los Padres
Sierra de los Padres is a string of rocky hills and ridges about 14 miles west of Mar del Plata. They are part of the Tandilia's mountain range, actually a series of low, rocky hills extended from the central Buenos Aires Province to Cabo Corri ...
, in 1995 along the southern coast; the other two during the first hours of July 10, 2004 and July 15, 2010, and again in Sierra de los Padres and the southern coast on 11 September 2015. There were
flurries in September 1986, June 2007, July 2011 and August 2013.
The record high is on January 14, 2022 while the record low is on July 6, 1988.
The
wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
occurs between October and April, especially in summer (December to March), with values over in each of those months. The average annual rainfall is .
Government
Mar del Plata is the head of the department of
General Pueyrredón. The current
Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of the city and department is Guillermo Montenegro, of the ''
Juntos por el Cambio
( en, Together for Change) is a centre-right political coalition in Argentina. It was created in 2015 as Cambiemos ( en, Let's Change), and renamed in 2019. It is composed of Republican Proposal, Radical Civic Union, Civic Coalition ARI and U ...
'' party.
The
town council
A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities.
Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions.
Republic of Ireland
Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...
has some legislative powers. The term of office for both the Mayor and council members is four years.
In 1919, Mar del Plata became the first town in South America to have a
Socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
Mayor, a son of Italian Immigrants,
Teodoro Bronzini
Teodoro Bronzini (October 10, 1888 – August 20, 1981) was an Argentine politician, affiliated with the Socialist Party, who served as Mayor of Mar del Plata for four periods, from the 1920s to the 1960s. He developed a public and private ...
. The
Socialist Party
Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of th ...
would dominate the city political landscape for most of the 20th century.
Mar del Plata has had 109 Mayors and Commissioners from 1881 to the present.
There is an extensive but interesting work by the American political scientist
Susan Stokes
Susan Carol Stokes (born 1959) is an American political scientist and the Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor in the Political Science department of the University of Chicago, and the faculty director of the Chicago Center on ...
about the democratic process in Mar del Plata since 1983 in comparison to other regions of Argentina. One of the main
thesis
A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
of her
articles
Article often refers to:
* Article (grammar), a grammatical element used to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness
* Article (publishing), a piece of nonfictional prose that is an independent part of a publication
Article may also refer to:
G ...
is that the social and economic development of Mar del Plata was quite atypical, with a strong prevalence of middle-class values that discouraged the policy of
clientelism
Clientelism or client politics is the exchange of goods and services for political support, often involving an implicit or explicit quid-pro-quo. It is closely related to patronage politics and vote buying. Clientelism involves an asymmetric rel ...
that is the common background in other urban environments of Argentina.
Education
The area has many Schools and Universities, some of these are private or public. It once had a German school, Johann-Gutenberg-Schule.
There is a wide variety of schools dedicated to the education of art:
*
Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata
The National University of Mar del Plata ( es, link=no, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, UNMdP) is an Argentine national university in the city of Mar del Plata, on the Atlantic coast.
The institution was established in 1962 as the ''Un ...
(UNMdP): Public university with various majors.
* Escuela de Artes Visuales M.A Malharro: A Higher education school based on modern visual arts, it counts with graduated departments of Graphic Design, Photography, Illustration, Teacher education, Freelancer Artist, Scenography and Film.
* Polivalente de Arte (Escuela de Educación Secundaria Especializada en Arte Nº 1): School of Secondary education that also works as a vocational school in the fields of Art, Music or Dance.
Also, there are two
Conservatories (Classical and popular music), a Vocational School of Art, and a Municipal School of Classical and Modern Dance.
Media
Television
*
Channel 10, Mar del Plata
Sport
Mar del Plata's most popular football (soccer) teams are
Aldosivi,
Alvarado and
Kimberley. Aldosivi plays in
Primera division, Alvarado and Kimberley in the
Torneo Argentino B
Torneo Argentino B was one of two leagues that form the fourth level of the Argentine football league system, made up of 100+ teams playing within eight regional zones across Argentina.
The other league at level four wasand still isthe Primera C ...
.
Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol (; English: ''Peñarol Athletic Club'') —also known as ''Carboneros'', ''Aurinegros,'' and (familiarly) ''Manyas''— is a Uruguayan sports club from Montevideo. The name "Peñarol" comes from the Peñarol neigh ...
and
Quilmes de Mar del Plata
Club Atlético Quilmes (mostly known as Quilmes de Mar del Plata) is a sports club based in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Although other sports are practised in the club, Quilmes is mostly known for its basketball team, which cu ...
are the most popular basketball teams. Peñarol have won eight official tournaments (Súper 8,
FIBA Americas League
The FIBA Americas League (Portuguese: ''FIBA Liga das Américas'', Spanish: ''FIBA Liga de las Américas''), officially abbreviated as the LDA, was the premier intercontinental basketball club competition played annually by clubs of the entire Am ...
, five National Leagues,
InterLigas, and Copa Argentina). Mar del Plata hosted the
2011 FIBA Americas Championship
The 2011 FIBA Americas Championship for Men, later known as the FIBA AmeriCup, was the qualifying tournament for FIBA Americas, at the 2012 Summer Olympics men's basketball tournament, in London. This FIBA AmeriCup tournament was held in Mar del ...
, where the city's basketball fans supported
Argentina's national basketball team to win the gold medal. All games were played in the 8,000 seat
Polideportivo Islas Malvinas
The Polideportivo Islas Malvinas is an indoor arena located in Mar del Plata, Argentina which was built for the XII Pan American Games in 1995. It is qualified to host such sports as basketball, handball, volleyball and tennis, as well as to acco ...
.
For many years, the city hosted a strong international
chess tournament
A chess tournament is a series of chess games played competitively to determine a winning individual or team. Since the first international chess tournament in London, 1851, chess tournaments have become the standard form of chess competition amo ...
.
Mar del Plata hosted six matches in the
1978 FIFA World Cup
The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June.
The Cup was won by t ...
at the
Estadio José María Minella
The Estadio José María Minella is a stadium in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. It is owned and administrated by the Municipality of General Pueyrredón Partido, General Pueyrredón. Inaugurated for the 1978 FIFA World Cup hosted by Argentin ...
, which was built for the sporting event.
The city also hosted the
1995 Pan American Games and the
2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens
The 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens was the third edition of the Rugby World Cup Sevens and was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina. New Zealand defeated Australia to win the tournament for the first time. This was the first major rugby event ever held ...
.
The city is home to Argentine
Bandy
Bandy is a winter sport and ball sport played by two teams wearing ice skates on a large ice surface (either indoors or outdoors) while using sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal. The international governing body for bandy is ...
Union.
In 2003 Mar del Plata hosted the 2nd
Parapan American Games
The Parapan American Games is an international multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities held every four years after every Pan American Games. The first Games were held in 1999 in Mexico City, Mexico. The 2003 Parapan American Ga ...
that featured 1,500 athletes from 28 countries competed in nine sporting events. This was the last Parapan American Games that was not tied to the
Pan American Games
The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held ...
.
The
20th World Transplant Games were held in the city from 23 to 30 August 2015.
Mar del Plata was the starting point for the
2012 Dakar Rally.
International relations
Twin towns – Sister cities
Mar del Plata is
twinned with:
Gallery
File:MAR DEL PLATA B.jpg, Mar del Plata's view at night from La Perla beaches
File:Chalet-Camusso.jpg, A two-story Mar del Plata style chalet
File:Villa Victoria (fachada delantera), Mar del Plata, Argentina.JPG, Villa Victoria, the former home of Victoria Ocampo
Ramona Victoria Epifanía Rufina Ocampo (7 April 1890 – 27 January 1979) was an Argentine writer and intellectual. Best known as an advocate for others and as publisher of the literary magazine '' Sur'', she was also a writer and critic in he ...
File:Torre Tranque de Obras Sanitarias de la Nación.jpg, The Tudor Style
Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...
Water Tower (Torre Tanque)
File:Casino de Mar del Plata (9).JPG, Mar del Plata Casino
File:Museo castagnino.jpg, Municipal art Museum
File:Mdp nevada-1991-2.jpg, Snow on La Perla beach after the unusual snowstorm of August 1, 1991
References
Further reading
* Cacopardo, Fernando A. & others: ''Mar del Plata, Ciudad e Historia''. Alianza Editorial S.A./UNMDP, Madrid/Buenos Aires, 1997. .
* Rocatagliata, Juan A. & others: ''Mar del Plata y su Región''. Sociedad Argentina de Estudios Geográficos, Buenos Aires, 1984.
* Anniversary Editions of ''La Capital'' newspaper: 1955, 1980, 1985, 2005.
* Barili, Roberto T.: ''Mar del Plata, Reseña Histórica''. Published by the Municipality of Gral. Pueyrredón, Mar del Plata, 1964.
* Zago, Manrique: ''Mar del Plata, Argentina''. Manrique Zago Ed., 1997. (Bilingual Edition)
* Stokes, Susan C.:''Do Informal Institutions Make Democracy Work? Accounting for Accountability in Argentina.'' University of Chicago. Prepared for presentation at the conference, "Informal Institutions in Latin America". University of Notre Dame, April 23–24, 2003.
* Shapiro, Ian and Bedi, Sonu : ''Political Contingency: Studying the Unexpected, the Accidental, and the Unforeseen''. New York University Press, 2007.
* Helmke, Gretchen and Levitsky, Steven: ''Informal Institutions and Democracy:Lessons from Latin America''. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
External links
*
*
National University of Mar del Plata
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mar del Plata
Populated places in Buenos Aires Province
Port settlements in Argentina
Seaside resorts in Argentina
Populated coastal places in Argentina
Populated places established in 1874
1874 establishments in Argentina
Cities in Argentina