Mitre Square (Plaza Mitre) is one of the many public squares that decorate the city center of Mar del Plata. Stop in this green oasis amid the commercial streets and tall apartment buildings of the Barrio Mitre neighborhood. Plaza Mitre occupies four city blocks and features a children’s playground, skate park and sculpture collection. It takes its name from Bartolomé Mitre, a former Argentine president and military leader.
The square has areas with grassy lawns and rows of tall trees. Join the locals who come to relax on their lunch breaks and find shade from the hot summer sun. Paved promenades divide the square into four sections and are framed by antique, wrought iron streetlamps. Note the animal and floral decorations of the streetlamps.
Look for the statue of Bartolomé Mitre standing atop a pedestal at the heart of the square. Admire La Madre, a sculpture of a mother cradling her child, by José Alonso. Among other artworks is a reproduction of Diana of Versailles, which depicts the Greek goddess Artemis with a deer. The original stands in the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Bring children to play on the swings and ride the carousel. Find swings suitable for visitors with limited mobility too. The recreational area also has a basketball court and skate park. Rent a bike for a fun way to explore the square and its surrounding streets.
Mitre Square is a 10-minute walk south of Mar del Plata’s main plaza, San Martín Square. Here you’ll find major landmarks such as Mar del Plata Cathedral and the Colón Theater. Follow Avenida Colón south for about 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) to Plaza Cristóbal Colón, which overlooks the city’s main sandy stretch, Bristol Beach.
Ask at your accommodations or the tourist information office for details about artisan markets and concerts at Mitre Square. In December it hosts events during the Mar del Plata JAZZ festival.
