The monuments and memorials in Argentina are plentiful, true. But one makeshift-turned-permanent memorial trumps them all in terms of its impact. We visited what is now a shrine to the victims of the República Cromañón night club fire in Buenos Aires. You'll probably remember the news story: On 30 December 2004, a fire broke out in the club, killing 194 people and injuring 714 others. The venue was [hosting a rock concert] and around 3,000 people were in attendance. The blaze was started when a pyrotechnic flare was set off and ignited foam in the ceiling. [A] plastic net was hung from the ceiling and caught fire first, melting into a rain of fire. Four of the six doors, some of which were fire exits, were chained shut so that "people would not enter without paying," according to Mayor Aníbal Ibarra. Most of the victims died from inhaling poisonous gases, smoke and carbon monoxide, unlike most accidents of this kind, where most die from crushing or burning. (
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The memorial that sprung up near the night club in the days and weeks following the fire was heart-wrenchingly personal. Most of the victims were young - in their late teens/early twenties. Each of them has a dedicated space on a wall, where family members and friends brought mementos and photos of their young lives to display. Hand-written sentiments cover the whitewash. Of course there are graffiti murals.
Perhaps the most tender element of the shrine are the shoes. Shoes belonging to the victims hang from wires and line the area, now weathered, bleached and tattered from years in the sun - but they are a vivid touch of humanity that not-so-subtly conveys that lives were lost and that those shoes will never be filled. It was a powerful, emotional display that I think ideally remembers the tragedy. Maybe all memorials should be like this one.
If the parks were plentiful, the monuments are even more so. There is a marble head for just about every public figure imaginable. All of the parks and many of the street corners memorialize the historical and cultural figures of Argentina in stone, be it a simple bust or an ornate fountain, tower or facade. Events are also immortalized. This is one place where the nation's history is front and center at every turn.
In addition to the solid and official stone remembrances, just like anywhere else in the world, homespun memorials crop up in the likely places as well. Namely, along the side of the roads. Whether its honoring a deceased motorist or pedestrian, paying homage to a hero gaucho, or perpetuating legends and folklore, the roadside memorials are informal and improvised. This one (pictured below) was my favorite. It's a memorial to a miracle. The legend goes that a pregnant woman who was traveling across the Andes to give birth was unable to complete her journey because she ran out of water. Parched and unable to continue, she gave birth in the mountains, but died shortly thereafter. However, the baby was able to survive on her Mother's milk for three days until he was found. The offerings are bottles of water, naturally.
