Túneles de Buenos Aires

Complejo Histórico Cultural Manzana De Las Luces

Useful Information

Location:	Calle Perú 222, C1067 CABA. (-34.610512, -58.374770)
Open:	All year Wed-Sun 11-18. Tunnels currently closed. [2023]
Fee:	free. [2023]
Classification:	Enigmatic Cavern
Light:	Incandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Túneles de Buenos Aires, Calle Perú 222, C1067 CABA, Tel: +54-11-4342-9930. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

~1700	tunnels created.
1767	Jesuits expelled.
1912	collapse of a floor of a classroom in the Faculty of Architecture.
1980	tunnels rediscovered.

Description

The Túneles de Buenos Aires or sometimes the Túneles secretos de Buenos Aires (Secret tunnels of Buenos Aires). They are also called the Túneles Manzana de las Luces, after the quarter where they are located, around the Calle Perú. Now and then such a tunnel is revealed, for example in 1912, when the floor of a classroom in the Faculty of Architecture collapsed. But actually the site of today was discovered in 1980. It was at one time completely covered with earth for unknown reasons.

The origin and use of the underground structure is completely unknown. There is only a theory, that they were created by the Jesuits, to connect the buildings of the order underground. It was started but never completed, because the Jesuits were expelled in 1767.

The tunnels are currently closed for renovation until further notice. However, there is a very good virtual tour with 360° panoramas online, see link below.

When you follow the tour you might get the impression that the six sections have different origins or uses. Actually these are just the six most common legends about the tunnels, if you try to link the tunnel with the explanation you will see that there is actually no connection between the underground structures and the stories. We classified the site as enigmatic, as there is actually neither a document not archaeological evidence for any of those theories, and they seem all a little off.