Perhaps, without the Argentine Constitution of 1854, this neighborhood wouldn’t bear the proud name of Constitución. The Constitución barrio of Buenos Aires is steeped in history. It is a place where the past and present intertwine.
Constitución began as two separate areas. These were the neighborhood of Concepción and the area of Convalecencia. Concepción’s story started in 1727. Bishop Pedro Faxardo gathered gentlemen to donate land for a chapel. By 1733, Juan Guillermo González y Gutiérrez de Aragón erected the chapel. He dedicated it to Saint Michael the Archangel and Our Lady of Remedies. Later, Matías Flores and his wife bought the chapel. They rededicated it to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. In 1769, when Buenos Aires was first divided into parishes, the Parish of Concepción included part of present-day Constitución.
Not far from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the Plaza de la Concepción opened. In the early 19th century, the city needed to move wagon concentrations away from the center. In 1821, Plaza de la Concepción became the city’s new fruit market. Its location was ideal. It connected directly to the Calla Larga del Sur which is now Avenida Montes de Oca.
In the late 18th century, Bethlemites founded a hospital called “de la Convalecencia”. This was roughly on the grounds of what was later the Hospital Rawson. The area around the hospice became known as “La Convalecencia.” However, the area did not develop until the mid-19th century. According to accounts from the time, the area of the current Plaza Constitución was a “pajonal” or grassland.
In 1857, the Mercado del Sur del Alto was installed. It was on municipal land limited by Cochabamba, Salta, and Buen Orden streets. The new market was soon named Constitución. This gave the current neighborhood its name. It was named after the Constitution of Buenos Aires signed in 1854.
On August 14, 1865, the first stage of the Ferrocarril del Sud opened to the public. It departed from a primitive Constitución station. By the end of that year, it reached Chascomús. The railroad led to the disappearance of old wagons that brought production to the city center. Meanwhile, the Calle Larga del Sur was consolidating as an area of estates and mansions of the Buenos Aires upper class.
In 1884, the east sector of the Constitución market became a promenade. The opposite side continued its old function. On January 1, 1887, the Ferrocarril del Sud inaugurated the second building of the Constitución Station. It was a luxurious construction for the time. It transformed the area’s appearance. On October 30, 1892, Plaza Constitución was fully opened to the public. It took on its current appearance. It was decorated with various trees. It included an exotic artificial grotto with false ruins of an abandoned castle. These would be demolished a few decades later.
The Constitución neighborhood and its history are closely linked to wholesalers. They were the first land buyers. They acquired large properties to build their warehouses. Along with the construction of houses, the first grocery stores appeared. There were also shops for buying and selling. Places to dance, enjoy drinks, and spend time with women also began to appear.
At the end of the 19th century, the neighborhood experienced its greatest demographic explosion. Construction extended throughout the area. Both humble houses and high-class petit hotels were built. Even large mansions appeared in the Avenida Caseros area. The railroad station surroundings were also chosen for aristocratic houses. This was thanks to the area’s renovation and the importance of the train terminal building.
In 1904, the Missionaries of the Heart of Mary settled in Constitución. In 1923, the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was inaugurated. It has a neo-Gothic style with stained glass windows. It also has an organ manufactured by the German house E. F. Walcker & Co.
Today, Constitución is known for its rich history. It is also known for its convenient transportation options. These include the Roca train line and many bus lines.