The House of Tucumán

The House of Tucumán is exactly like any Argentinian may imagine: simple, white and with a door typical of the old constructions raised in colonial times. This ancient dwelling in San Miguel de Tucumán houses the room where congressmen from the Argentinian provinces gathered to sign the declaration of independence and defend a country that was ready to face its own destiny.

We resolved to let ourselves be carried away by the illusion of stepping along the same corridors as those characters of Argentinian history and we discovered each of the three backyards that make up what is now a museum.

Backyards Smelling of Orange Trees

The building conception of the time was respected by using photographs from the early XX century and the same kind of bricks, tiles and flagstones used in the original house. The rooms look onto the backyards.
The rooms overlooking the first backyard treasure documents dated both before and after 1816, weapons used in the war of independence, criollo and colonial silverware, furniture and daily tools.

The Room of Declaration of Independence opens up onto the second backyard, with its vaulted ceiling and replicas of the furniture used on July 9, 1816. These pieces had been provided by the prelates of Saint Francis’ Church to hold the Congress of Tucumán in that location.

Finally, the third backyard contains two large bas-reliefs made by plastic artist Lola Mora, native from Tucumán and famous all round the world. Featuring great dimensions in a very spacious and clear background, two fundamental scenes of Argentinian history are represented: the balconies onto Mayo Square on May 25, 1810 and the room where the Congress of Tucumán was held on July 9, 1816. These masterpieces, which symbolize a tribute to two historical acts- manifest the roots of the country: a bunch of men responsible for its freedom.

Recounting History

We watched a play that is presented everyday at sunset in the same venue. A few actors impersonated the main characters of the Congress of Tucumán and helped us understand the wish for freedom experienced by those men and their will to carry out basic actions to stop belonging to the Spanish crown. The performance lasted less than one hour and it was a very good portrayal of the patriotic spirit with a humorous touch.

Simultaneously, a light and sound electronic show also moves visitors as it revives the words pronounced by these historical characters in 1816. Both performances have been produced with the assistance of specialists in the subject.

Declared Historical Monument in 1941, when its refurbishing works were finished, we bade farewell to the House of Tucumán with the feeling of having revived a very important part of Argentinian history, at least for a while.