Fuerte de Buenos Aires was the main Spanish fortress of the city of Buenos Aires during the colonial period.

History

The Fort of Buenos Aires was built by order of the governor Fernando de Zárate, being designated with the name of ''Real Fortaleza de Don Juan Baltasar de Austria''. Its construction began towards the middle of 1590s, in the land where the

Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries. Gover ...

is currently located. Originally the fortress had been raised for the defense of the city against possible incursions by pirates, was also the residence of the authorities of Buenos Aires. Among the General Staff of the Fort of Buenos Aires were the Captains Francisco Pérez de Burgos, Miguel de Riglos, Miguel Gerónimo de Esparza and his son Juan Miguel de Esparza, who had also served as Mayors of the City in various periods. During the early 17th century, no major modifications were made to the structure of the Fort of Buenos Aires, being completely modified towards the year 1708, when the colonial authorities hired the Captain engineer José Bermúdez, who endowed the fort with a fortified wall. In 1725, the fort was modified again, this time by the engineer Domingo Petrarca. Towards the middle of the 18th century, the Fort of Buenos Aires continued with the renovations, carried out by the Spanish engineer of British descent, Don Juan Bartolomé Howell. And later by the engineer Carlos Cabrer, who built a Chapel for the Viceroys. During the

British invasions of the River Plate The British invasions of the River Plate were two unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of areas in the Spanish colony of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata that were located around the Río de la Plata in South America – in p ...

, the Fort of Buenos Aires, was occupied by William Beresford, who resided in the fortification until surrendering to

Santiago de Liniers Santiago Antonio María de Liniers y Bremond, 1st Count of Buenos Aires, KOM, OM (July 25, 1753 – August 26, 1810) was a French officer in the Spanish military service, and a viceroy of the Spanish colonies of the Viceroyalty of the River ...

. In 1810 the Fort of Buenos Aires, was used as the official residence of

Cornelio Saavedra Cornelio Judas Tadeo de Saavedra y Rodríguez (September 15, 1759 in Otuyo – March 29, 1829 in Buenos Aires) was a military officer and statesman from the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He was instrumental in the May Revolution, the firs ...

, president of the

Primera Junta The Primera Junta ( en, First Junta) or ''Junta Provisional Gubernativa de las Provincias del Río de la Plata'' (''Provisional Governing Junta of the Provinces of the Río de la Plata''), is the most common name given to the first government of ...

of Government. In 1826, the President

Bernardino Rivadavia Bernardino de la Trinidad González Rivadavia (May 20, 1780 – September 2, 1845) was the first President of Argentina, then called the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, from February 8, 1826 to June 27, 1827. He was educated at t ...

, made important improvements in the Buenos Aires fort, including an iron gate to replace the rudimentary wooden gate.

Gallery

File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires, rivera norte.jpg, ''painter of the El Fuerte de Buenos Aires by

Emeric Essex Vidal Emeric Essex Vidal (29 March 1791 – 7 May 1861) was an English watercolourist and naval officer. His opportunities for travel, his curiosity about local customs and human types, and his eye for the picturesque, led him to make paintings wh ...

'' File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires, AGN.jpg, ''drawing of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires'' File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires tronera.jpg, ''

cannons A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder dur ...

of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires'' File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires llave.jpg, ''key to open the gate of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires'' File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires cerradura.jpg, ''lock of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires'' File:Escudo Fuerte de Buenos Aires.jpg, ''shield of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires'' File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires picaporte.jpg, ''Doorknob that belonged to the Fuerte de Buenos Aires'' File:Fuerte Buenos Aires Bermúdez 1708.jpg, ''plane of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires by José Bermúdez'' File:Fuerte de Buenos Aires daguerrotipo 1852-1854.jpg, ''view from the northwest of the Fuerte de Buenos Aires''

References

{{reflist History of South America Río de la Plata Buildings and structures completed in 1725