The Casa Rosada (), , is the president of the Argentine Republic's official workplace, located in Buenos Aires. The palatial mansion is known officially as Casa de Gobierno ("House of Government" or "Government House"). Normally, the president lives at the Quinta de Olivos, the president of Argentina's official residence, located in Olivos, Greater Buenos Aires. The characteristic color of the Casa Rosada is baby pink, and it is considered one of the most emblematic buildings in Buenos Aires. The building also houses a museum, which contains objects relating to former presidents of Argentina. It has been declared a National Historic Monument of Argentina.

History

The Casa Rosada sits at the eastern end of the Plaza de Mayo, a large square which, since the foundation of Buenos Aires in 1580, has been surrounded by many of the most important political institutions of the city and of Argentina. The site, originally at the shoreline of the Río de la Plata, was first occupied by the "Fort of Juan Baltazar of Austria", a structure built on the orders of the founder of Buenos Aires, Captain Juan de Garay, in 1594. Its 1713 replacement by a masonry structure (the "Castle of San Miguel") complete with turrets made the spot the effective nerve center of colonial government. Following independence, President Bernardino Rivadavia had a Neoclassical portico built at the entrance in 1825, and the building remained unchanged until, in 1857, the fort was demolished in favor of a new customs building. Under the direction of British Argentine architect Edward Taylor, the Italianate structure was Buenos Aires' largest building from 1859 until the 1890s.

The old fort's administrative annex, which survived the construction of Taylor's Customs House, was enlisted as the presidential offices by Bartolomé Mitre in the 1860s and his successor, Domingo Sarmiento, who beautified the drab building with patios, gardens and wrought-iron grillwork, had the exterior painted pink reportedly in order to defuse political tensions by mixing the red and white colors of the country's two opposing political parties: red was the color of the Federalists, while white was the color of the Unitarians. An alternative explanation suggests that the original paint contained cow's blood to prevent damage from the effects of humidity. Sarmiento also authorized the construction of the Central Post Office next door in 1873, commissioning Swedish Argentine architect Carl Kihlberg, who designed this, one of the first of Buenos Aires' many examples of Second Empire architecture.

The Casa Rosada itself in 2006 underwent extensive renovation delayed by the 2001 economic crisis. The first phase was completed for the 2010 bicentennial of the May Revolution that led to independence, with a second phase begun in 2017.

The Hall of Busts houses marble busts of the many presidents of Argentina, made by diverse artists both national and international. The list, however, is not exhaustive, and subjected to political biases. President Néstor Kirchner ordered in 2006 the removal of all busts of presidents who took power via coups, but the busts of José Félix Uriburu, Pedro Pablo Ramírez and Edelmiro Julián Farrell were spared and finally removed during the administration of Mauricio Macri. President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner broke the timeline order of the busts, and placed instead the busts of Kirchner, Raúl Alfonsín, Hipólito Yrigoyen and Juan Perón in a prominent location. The administration of Macri reordered the busts under the supervision of the National Academy of History of Argentina, and Alberto Fernández restored the order set by Cristina Kirchner. President Javier Milei added the bust of Carlos Menem next to Mitre, Pellegrini, Sarmiento and Roca, while those of Kirchner and Alfonsín were moved away. The internal regulations specify that presidents should have a bust eight years after they leave office, but for varied reasons Isabel Perón, Fernando de la Rúa, Adolfo Rodríguez Saá and Eduardo Duhalde do not have busts.

Interior

<gallery class="center" mode=packed heights=100>

File:Despacho Presidencial argentino 2.JPG|The President's office

File:Capilla Cristo Rey.jpg|Christ the King Chapel

File:Galeria de los vitrales.JPG|The Stained Glass Gallery

File:Salón de los bustos, Casa Rosada.jpg|The Hall of Busts

File:Patio de las Palmeras, Casa Rosada.jpg|The Palm Tree Patio

File:Salón Blanco (1), AA 2014.jpg|The Salón Blanco

File:Salón Blanco.jpg|The Salón Blanco

File:Salón Norte 2.JPG|The North Hall

File:Salón Sur 2.JPG|The South Hall

File:Salón Mujeres del Bicentenario.JPG|Hall of Argentine Bicentennial Women

File:Salon Patriotas Casa Rosada .jpg|Hall of Bicentennial Patriots of Latin America

File:Salondelosescritoresypensadoresdelbicentenario.jpg|Hall of Bicentennial Thinkers and Writers

File:CABA - Monserrat - Casa Rosada - Salón de los Científicos Argentinos del Bicentenario.jpg|Hall of Argentine Bicentennial Scientists

File:Salón Azul - Palacio de Gobierno de la República Argentina.jpg|Hall of Argentine Bicentennial Painters and Paintings (Blue Hall)

File:Ascensor presidencial.JPG|Presidential elevator

File:Escalera Francia.jpg|Francia Stairs of Honour

File:Escalera Italia.jpg|Italia Stairs of Honour

File:Hall de Honor - Salón de Bustos · Casa Rosada.jpg|Hall of Honour

</gallery>

Exterior

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2018-10-19 Buenos Aires by Sandro Halank–018.jpg|View from Plaza de Mayo

File:Casa de Gobierno- Casa Rosada Lateral.JPG|View of the north wing and the porte-cochère

file:Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires 2012-05-22 03.JPG|Clock

File:Acceso por Rivadavia.jpg|Entrance on Rivadavia Street

File:Casa Rosada-ART.JPG|The presidential balcony

file:Puerto Madero, Casa Rosada, Plaza de Mayo 01.jpg|View from Puerto Madero

File:Casa Rosada02.jpg|The Italianate portico

File:Buenos Aires 2005 - Casa Rosada (39016298).jpg|Equestrian statue of Manuel Belgrano

File:Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires 2012-05-22 06.JPG|Sculpture

file:Escudo de la Argentina, AA Buenos Aires 2014.jpg|Coat of arms of Argentina

</gallery>

See also

  • Palace of the Argentine National Congress
  • Palace of Justice of the Argentine Nation
  • List of National Historic Monuments of Argentina
  • President of Argentina

References

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