Ever heard of a town where Jorge Luis Borges was a librarian? Welcome to El Paraíso. A hidden gem in the Ramallo Partido of Buenos Aires. El Paraíso wasn’t always a paradise. It started as farmland. The Engels company sold it in 1881. The land had been granted centuries earlier to Captain Francisco Gutiérrez by Governor Bruno Mauricio de Zabala. It then passed through several hands. It finally became the property of María Unzué de Alvear in 1889.
El Paraíso truly bloomed with the arrival of the Central Argentino Railway in 1886. The train station became the heart of this nascent town. María Unzué de Alvear granted permits for the first businesses. Imagine the bustling energy of a new community. Shops and services slowly appeared. These included a general store a few butcher shops and even a pharmacy. Many of these early businesses are long gone. Only memories remain.
But El Paraíso wasn’t just a commercial hub. It was also a cultural haven. Distinguished figures visited frequently. These included Bartolomé Mitre Leopoldo Lugones and even Fermín Estrella Gutiérrez. They were drawn to the magnificent estancias in the area. ‘El Castillo’ belonged to the poet Rafael Obligado. ‘La Rivera’ was home to the painter María Obligado and her writer husband Francisco Soto y Calvo. This was where Borges briefly served as a librarian.
He journeyed from Buenos Aires by train. Then a carriage would take him to the estancia. After his work he would take the train back. It’s quite the image a renowned author on a rural journey. He later left. ‘La Rivera’ was sadly demolished in 1945. The high price of iron led to its destruction.
El Paraíso today is a small town. It still retains a unique charm. The neoclassical Sacred Heart Chapel stands proudly. The abandoned train station speaks to a bygone era. It showcases beautiful British-style architecture. The remnants of the fight for sovereignty on the Paraná River are visible at the Estrella Federal estancia. El Paraíso is a quiet reminder of Argentina’s rich history. It is a destination where the past lives on. A place where the spirit of Borges still lingers. This is El Paraíso a true paradise for those who seek a connection to Argentina’s past.