Do you smell the leather? Sarandí is known for it. It’s part of what makes this city tick. Sarandí sits in the Avellaneda Partido. This is part of the urban sprawl of Greater Buenos Aires.
Sarandí is south of Buenos Aires. It covers 54 square kilometers. Around 60,752 people live here. That makes it the second most populated place in the partido after Avellaneda. About 18.5% of the partido’s people live here.
The city gets its name from a local bush. It’s called sarandí. In Spanish, it’s Cephalanthus glabratus.
Let’s step back to 1580. Juan de Garay was coming from Asunción. He and his men crossed an area with many sarandí bushes. The native bush grew by a stream. The stream became known as the Sarandí stream. The area around it also took the name Sarandí. So that is where the name comes from.
Sarandí has a rich history. The train station opened in 1872. It was first called General Mitre. It was part of the Buenos Aires and Puerto de la Ensenada Railroad. In 1906, they changed the name to Sarandí. Land was divided up for development that same year. The first school opened a year later.
The city has grown a lot since then. By 1920, Sarandí was known for its growth. It had the fastest-growing population in the partido. Industry and business were booming too.
Sarandí has a strong sporting side. Arsenal de Sarandí is a football club here. It plays in Argentina’s first division.
Interestingly, River Plate, another football club, once had its stadium here. This was before they moved to the Núñez area of Buenos Aires.
Sadly, Sarandí has a dark chapter. During the last military dictatorship, many books were burned in Sarandí. It was a terrible act of censorship. About 1.5 million books went up in flames.
Arsenal Fútbol Club was founded here in 1957. A group of young men met in a bar. They chose red and light blue for the club colors. These colors came from the founders being fans of Independiente and Racing. Besides football, the club is also known for futsal and handball.
Today, Sarandí continues to grow. It mixes its industrial past with modern life. The leather industry remains important. But there is a downside. The tanning process pollutes the Riachuelo River. It is an ongoing environmental issue.
Sarandí offers a glimpse into Argentine life. It’s a mix of history, industry, and sport. It’s a reminder of the past and a look towards the future.