Recoleta — Shadows of the Lost Souls

Your quest begins at the Basílica Nuestra Señora del Pilar, a Baroque colonial style building constructed between 1713 and 1732 by French Recollects. Its 40-meter-high bell tower and 18th-century gilded wooden altarpieces testify to the deep ties between Recoleta's aristocracy and this active place of worship. It is here that you will unearth the first clue, hidden among local stone sculptures, guiding you to the influential 19th-century families who shaped this Buenos Aires district.

The Cementerio de la Recoleta, inaugurated in 1822 and declared a National Historic Monument in 1941, is your next stop. This 5.5-hectare site is home to over 6400 mausoleums, including 95 notable personalities. Among them, the mausoleum of Rufina Cambaceres, who died in 1902, is famous for her 'resurrection' anecdote after premature burial. As you explore its alleys, you will discover engraved symbols that will lead you to the buried secrets of Buenos Aires' great fortunes, a UNESCO candidate heritage site.

Continue your investigation towards the Alvear Palace Hotel, opened in 1932 and Buenos Aires' first 5-star hotel. Built by the Alvear brothers on their family land, this Belle Époque style edifice houses 104 luxury rooms and a Gilded Salon with stained-glass windows imported from France in 1934. This place of splendor and elegance was the scene of many intrigues, and it is within its walls that you will assemble fragments of an old will, revealing the forgotten heirs of the family.

The path then leads you to Palacio Duhau, now the Park Hyatt Buenos Aires, built in 1934 by the Duhau family in a French Renaissance style. Its two buildings connected by an underground passage and its one-hectare gardens with fountains, restored in 2006, offer a luxurious setting. This palace testifies to the urban development of Buenos Aires and the great families who marked its history, such as the Alvear. Here you will find architectural clues leading to hidden documents related to family properties.

Your journey concludes at the Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de Buenos Aires, a building completed in 1949 by architect Enrique del Prete, whose rationalist style was inspired by Rome's Palace of Justice. Its 270-meter-long facade on Avenida Figueroa Alcorta, with 13 entrance doors, was the scene of student protests during the Night of Philosophy in 1966. By gathering all the elements, you will unlock the final secret, revealing the true story behind the disputed inheritance and the importance of this historic Recoleta neighborhood in the history of Buenos Aires.