Sights · Our pick in Buenos Aires
Manzana de las Luces
The colonial city’s cultural block
The Jesuit block with the city’s oldest standing church and colonial tunnels beneath it.
Photo Credit
In the area: The stage of the Teatro Colón, framed by red velvet curtains and gilded boxes. Image courtesy of © Mauricio V. Genta · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Manzana de las Luces
The Manzana de las Luces, at Perú 272, is one of the city’s great historic complexes. The Iglesia de San Ignacio, built by the Jesuits, is considered the oldest church still standing in Buenos Aires, and colonial-era tunnels run beneath the block. The name, first printed in the newspaper El Argos in 1821, honours the institutions that worked here: the old university, the first theatre and museum, the royal press and the national library. Guided visits; the tunnels and the Procuraduría are closed for restoration.
Our take
- Oldest standing church
- Guided visits
- Colonial history
- Address
- Perú 272, Buenos Aires
Monserrat, Buenos Aires - Phone
- (011) 4342-6973
- Website
- turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Manzana de las Luces before you go.
Last checked: October 2026 How we choose
Location
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