THE ABASTO

Its history, our culture, the "Cradle of the Tango".

While the Mercado de Abasto (The Market of Supply) functioned, the zone that surrounds it was characterized for an urban development, economic, and social dynamics hardly influenced by the activities
When in 1984 the market was closed , the dynamics experiences an abrupt paralysis and it is initiated in the area a slow process of reconversion. An important population change is produced and many of the localities are destined to the development of cultural activities of the "underground circuit ".
In 1998 the building of the market is recycled and it becomes
the most important commercial center of the city.

The undertaking turns out to be successful. Together with Gardel and the most characteristic characters of the neighborhood and of the epoch, with the tango as the protagonist, we will transport to our past in the Abasto through a journey through the neighborhood , with an enormous cultural potential recovered that begins in the Carlos Gardel Museum and it continues for its streets where each corner, streetlight and facades realize history, loves and passions of a tango, Scene or a myth with the live interpretation by the group of actors of the Independent Theater Fray Blunt who invites us to live authentic cultural story, and a tourist experience. The Cortada of the street Carlos Gardel become a pedestrian, restored with streetlights and floors. The monument to Carlos Gardel was place "the Native Thrush" and it soon a monument to the Bandoneón will be placed. There the Walk of the Tango it is carried out, contest of song "Anda a cantarle a Gardel". This is thought as a thematic walk where artists, artisans, dancing; all related to the 2x4 show their abilities and their passion for the music to all the visitors. Various fronts in all the neighborhood, its passage Zelaya so characteristic give sample of the filleted and of the work of artists as Marino Santamaría, giving a special color to the zone.


Abasto Culture is a program of the local development, implemented jointly between the public sector and the private sector, in a framework of associated management. The objective of the program is to contribute to the integral development of the surrounding area of the former Mercado del Abasto of Buenos Aires (it takes around 100 blocks in the neighborhood of "Balvanera").Among others, the Government of the City of Buenos Aires, through the Center of Management and Participation N° 2 South, Alto Palermo INC., the Foundation Konex, Abasto Plaza Hotel, Hoyts General Cinema INC., the Chanta Cuatro INC., the University CAECE, the University of Palermo, the magazine The Abasto, Independent Theaters, arts centers, artists, artisans, merchants, Common Associations and neighbors of the zone participate of the program.

In its almost six years of activity, Cultura Abasto has materialized numerous activities and projects, among them : The Abasto Tango circuit , the Museo de Carlos Gardel, the Walk of the Tango, the Mapabasto and the Walk of art in the Zelaya Passage, it puts into value and hereditary value buildings facades characterization and the execution of numerous thematic festivals, being found in process of development the Cultural City Konex, the Corredor Verde del Oeste, the Centro Cultural Corrientes, the improvement and characterization of surrounding public space to the Former market and the characterization of the paths of the independent theaters of the zone and the installation of a specific signals for the circuit constituted by themselves.

The Abasto Cultura has taken out a subscription in a framework agreement of cooperation with the Government of the City of Buenos Aires . At present it is found constituted as civil association The circle has been proposed to reach a series of aims, among which can be cited:

To Install the mark "Cultura Abasto" in national level as well as in to international level
To Promote the image of the Abasto as social economic, tourist, and cultural resource.
To Convert the symbolic elements of the neighborhood (the tango, Gardel, the immigrants, the building of the Abasto market) in elements of prestige and social hold of neighbors, merchants and businessmen.
To Promote the investment of private resources in order to the sustainability of the project.
To Generate prizes and stimuli to put into value and the restoration of buildings.
To Favor an intense commercial and tourist activity, promoting the neighborhood as a "central of cultural irradiation to open sky".
To Optimize the urban landscape, base of identity of the neighborhood and to emphasize the social value of the project, tending the rehabilitation of dwellings and the fundamental development, through credits and fiscal incentives.
To Create a culture of the maintenance and to order a permanent action towards the conservation of the patrimony.
To Create services to short and medium time limit, generating positions of work, to optimize the security and the quality of life in the neighborhood.