Entertainment. Turistic Spots.
Parque Lezama - Patio de Esculturas y Anfiteatro
- Defensa, Brasil, Av. Paseo Colón and Martín García
Located on a natural gorge. Some people affirm that the first establishment of this city took place in these suburbs. Paul Groussac opposes to this conclusion, since he states it took place at Vuelta de Rocha. At the end of the 18th century, the Royal Company of Philippines settled the deposit of slaves down in the park. In 1806, during the First English Invasion, General Beresford entered through San Martin Street (today Defensa) devastating the last local forces on the Barranca de Marcó (today Lezama Park). Years later, the English David MacKinley installed his week-end cottage at this place, opposite the river. On the building the English flag was hoisted, and for that reason people got used to call it “the Englishmen cottage”. After successive owners, in 1857, Mr Jose Gregorio Lezama, a tradesman from Salta, acquired the property, surrounded it with a high fence of iron grills and enriched the forest atmosphere with exotic plants and trees. Towards 1871, during the yellow fever epidemic, the residence was operated as a Lazaretto. In 1889, when Lezama dies, his widow Angela Álzaga proposes the Mayor to sell the premises to the Community, with the commitment of being a public park. It took then the name of Parque Lezama.
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