La Boca
La Boca | |
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Neighborhood | |
 Brightly painted houses in Caminito | |
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La Boca (Spanish:
Its location near the Port of Buenos Aires meant the neighbourhood became a melting pot of different cultures during the 20th century, when millions of immigrants from Europe and Asia arrived to Argentina. In particular, many of its settlers originated from the Italian region of Liguria. The neighbourhood became a cornerstone for porteño culture, being an important site during the early development of the tango.
Today, it is mostly known for being home to Boca Juniors, one of the two largest football teams in Argentina.
Geography
La Boca is located in the south-east of the city, near its old port. Another of the 48
History
In 1882, after a lengthy general strike, La Boca seceded from Argentina, and the rebels raised the Genoese flag, which was immediately torn down personally by then President Julio Argentino Roca.[3]
Among sports fans, Boca is best known for being the home of the world-renowned
La Boca was home to the garra, or a fighting spirit that was represented in the hard working, no nonsense people of the barrio and reflected by the most popular club Boca Juniors on the pitch. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, La Boca’s citizens was characterized for rejecting “art for arts sake” and adopting a workmanlike attitude to work and life, in contrast to the richer citizens to the north, often represented through their club River Plate.[4] In 1907, La Boca became its own micronational republic. Their first attempt was short-lived, but two later attempts were more successful. The former lasted from 1923 to 1972 and the latter was established since 1986. Republic graffiti was still present in the barrio.
Another of Argentina’s most popular clubs, River Plate, originally started in the La Boca. However, in 1938 the club relocated to the Núñez neighborhood on the northern edge of the city and became more identifiable with the Buenos Aires elite than the lower class citizens of La Boca.[5] The land in and around La Boca was often controlled by the state or wealthy corporations in the first half of the 20th century, due to its location near the docks, making soccer pitches difficult to obtain for citizens.[6]
La Boca is a popular destination for
It has also been a centre for radical politics, having elected the first
As of 2016, the health of over 1,000 La Boca citizens is threatened by the pollution of the Matanza-Riachuelo River (which contains high levels of arsenic and lead, due to centuries of unrestrained pollution).[7]
Gallery
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Nineteenth-century Ghost Tower, on Wenceslao Villafañe Street -
The Caminito of tango lore, an example of the colour of La Boca attributable to local artist Benito Quinquela Martín -
The riverwalk at the Rocha Bend of theRiachuelo River -
La Bombonera Stadium -
The former Canale Biscuit Co. factory, now upscale lofts -
Boca Juniors-themed street vendor -
Typical local street -
References
- ^ "The emblems of the 48 barrios of Buenos Aires were presented" (Spanish) by ámbito.com August 29, 2011
- ^ "El Caminto, la Boca: Buenos Aires' Most Iconic, Colorful Street". 2 May 2011.
- ISBN 1902669037. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ Orton, Mark (2020-12-01). "La Nuestra: Football and National Identity in Argentina 1913–1978".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - JSTOR 24544173.
- JSTOR 24544173.
- ^ "The Mists of Riachuelo". ArgentinaIndependent.com. Argentina Independent. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
External links
- A Flags of the World article about flags used in La Boca
- Caminito Street at La Boca neighbourhood
- A Brief Look into the History of La Boca
