History of Buenos Aires and its port

Buenos Aires was born and grew with a close relationship to its role as a port, which would become, in time, a point of commercial and communication ways concentration.
In 1536 Pedro de Mendoza carried out the first foundation of the Puerto de Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre. In 1580 Juan de Garay founded it for the second time under the name of Ciudad de la Santísima Trinidad y Puerto de Santa María de los Buenos Aires.

From its beginnings, the vessels that arrived at the city used to anchor at considerable distance from the coast in the wide natural beaches that offered the River Plate estuary. From there in lighters and chariots the merchandises were transported to the land.

In the 19th century became indispensable to have a dock and a port structure for control. The first projects for the port construction were made at the end of 18th century, and beginnings of the following one.

In 1855 the New Customs building was started in front of the historical center of the city, designed by the English architect Edward Taylor. The building was noticeable because of its semicircular shape that ended in an esplanade on the River Plate.

As overseas trading was increasing, the port issue required an urgent solution. Between 1876 and 1886 two proposals were confronted to carry out their projects. One belonged to Eng. Huergo, and proposed several open inner harbors, with a comb shape. The other corresponded to Eduardo Madero, with a design of closed docks, all intercommunicated. In the end, this project prevailed, being approved by National Congress in 1882.

The works started in 1887 and were completed by 1897. The dramatic increase of international trade until the end of 19th century and the turn of the 20th century, brought along the increase of vessels size, what turn insufficient the dock port. The Congress had to aprobé a bill in 1908 calling for the enlargement of the port.

Between 1911 and 1925 Puerto Nuevo was buit, with a design of open inner harbors protected by an jetty, which continued to the north of Puerto Madero. This port started to act as secondary, entering too soon into an obsollescence process.

Since then, several plans were created to integrate Puerto Madero to the urban web. Its location, adjacent to the city center, its wide area and its connection to the riverfront, made it appropriate for installing commercial and administrative activities, and as a place for leisure. Several circumstances delayed the materialization of this project.

In Nvember 1989, through an agreement between the Ministry of Public Works and Services of Argentina, the City Hall of Buenos Aires and the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Nation, the Corporación Antiguo Puerto Madero S.A. was incorporated, and received the domain of the area and the authority to carry out its urban development. Its work made posible the recovering of this strategic area, representing for its scope and repercusion, the most important urban development that took place in Buenos Aires, with international trascendence.