Visit to the Cabildo Yard

Suddenly, it seemed hard to believe that we were still in downtown Buenos Aires. The sunshine would percolate through the leaves; the atmosphere was spacious and relaxed; the walls were porous and historical. Everything for Everyone Summer was coming to an end when we visited the market but the sun was falling above our heads in a way we would not believe it could still fall in Buenos Aires: warmly and pleasantly. And in spite of the 30 degrees Celsius that ruled over the city, we were about to buy a hand-knitted item. The products and the atmosphere cause visitors to slow down, even though they are in the very heart of microcentro. Hidden behind the white walls at the back of the Cabildo (today turned into a museum), this yard features red brick floors, forged iron bars and handicrafts stalls. It is an open secret: the perfect place to get away from it all.

A Yard with History This space at the foot of the Cabildo is of course as old as the city itself. But closer to our date, during the second half of the twentieth century, it used to be the right place for a second-hand book fair to be settled down until the 1970s, when a new series of construction works forced the yard to be closed to the public. This was the situation until 1986, when it was resolved to open the gates that kept the yard closed so that it would be flooded with life once again. The Urban Design and Handicrafts Market had been created. Ever since, on Thursdays and Fridays, the market is open in this yard to offer passers-by a varied offer of very interesting handicrafts. The craftsmen who participate in this market are selected by a special jury considering the quality and skills of their work. Likewise, this yard houses a resto bar whose outdoor and indoor tables offer the chance to end the visit with a cup of coffee, a cold beer or a delicious dish in an almost hidden nook in Buenos Aires.