Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
A white colonial church built in 1732 beside Recoleta Cemetery. It is the city's second-oldest church, with a silver altar in Upper Peru style and a museum in the convent cloisters.
Our Lady of the Pillar was built by the Recoleto friars of the Franciscan order and consecrated in 1732. Both the Recoleta district and the cemetery take their names from this convent. Its white walls and blue-tiled bell tower are simple and elegant. The main altar is a gilded silver Baroque piece in the Upper Peru (Alto Perú) style and is listed as a national historic monument. The adjacent convent has been converted into the Claustros del Pilar cloister museum, which displays religious art and offers views of the cemetery from the second floor. Entry to the church is free, the museum charges a small fee, and the church is often used as a wedding venue. It is a one-minute walk from Recoleta Cemetery and the Plaza Francia weekend crafts market.
Opening hours
Church approx. 08:00–20:00; museum approx. 10:30–18:15
Nearby sights
- Recoleta Cemetery
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
- Floralis Genérica
- El Ateneo Grand Splendid
- National Museum of Decorative Arts
- Palacio de Aguas Corrientes
- Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires
- Teatro Colón