What to see - Places of interest in Tucuman

What to See:

• Independence House. The most important tourist and historic spot in the city. The Independence of the country was declared here on July 9, 1816, by representatives from the different provinces. The only part of the house that remains of the original building is the room where the congressmen gathered and the declaration took place. The facade was rebuilt after the original one based on photographs of the XIX Century.
• Government House, Located across from the main square “Plaza Independencia”. This magnicent building was built where the old Cabildo was formerly situated.
• Plaza Independencia, the city’s main square. One of the best places to see local people and a start point to tour the downtown area. There is a beautiful “Statue of Liberty” in its center made by the famous local artist Lola Mora.
• San Franciso Church right across the Plaza Independencia. The interior is beautifully decorated.
• 9 de Julio Park, 5 blocks east of downtown, across from the bus station. One of the largest public parks in the country (100 hectares) designed by French architect Charles Thays (who also designed the public parks in Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and Mendoza. Among its many attractions are the San Miguel Lake, Bishop Colombres’s House (a colonial style house which includes a museum of the sugarcane industry), the Flower Clock and several sculptures scattered around the park. There are some good bars and restaurants as well.

Two large theaters (San Martín and Alberdi) and several smaller and independent theaters offer a wide array of events, including plays, concerts, operas, and ballet, all year round. The Septiembre Musical is by far the most important cultural event during the year. This music festival, generally held at Independence Square, brings together several local and national artists who perform different musical styles ranging from folk music to rock.

There are two public universities in the city, the National University of Tucumán and the National Technological University, and two private one, the Saint Thomas Aquinas University of the North and the Saint Paul T University.

Tucumán football has experienced an upturn in recent years. The two major football clubs were both promoted in the 2007-08 season. In 2008-09, San Martín now plays in Argentine football's premier league while Atlético plays in the National "B" league and as of mid-December were fourth in the table. This is San Martín's first appearance in the premier league since 1992 and Atlético is at its highest point in the last 100 years and appears primed for its own ascension to Argentina's major league either at the end of this season or next. Atlético's home pitch is Estadio Monumental while San Martín's grand old stadium, La Ciudadela, at Bolívar and Pellegrini has just undergone some much-needed renovations.

San Martín's ascension has provided a major-league feel to the city. In addition to that, Tucumán has made many advancements over the last five years. In 2006, las garritas (women who stand on platforms in the center of the city and direct traffic) were replaced by stoplights. In 2007, a giant shopping mall, Portal Tucumán, with a six-screen cinema complex was opened in suburban Yerba Buena, and 2008 saw the opening of a second major shopping center in Yerba Buena which also boasts a cinema complex, Solar de Cerro. Abasto Tucumano will open in 2009. This will be the most ambitious of the new shopping complexes. Located in the middle-class neighborhood of Abasto, it will be one block from Alem Avenue and four blocks from San Martín's aforementioned La Ciudadela Stadium. Abasto Tucumano will feature underground parking and another cinema complex.

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