Palacio San Martin, Buenos Aires

The San Martin Palace is the ceremonial headquarters of the Argentine Foreign Ministry. The elaborate beaux arts style building was once the residence of the wealthy Anchorena family.

The San Martin palace was commissioned by Mercedes Castellanos de Anchorena and her two sons Aaron and Emilio and architect, Alejandro Christophersen designed the building. It was built between 1905 and 1909. In 1936, the government acquired Palacio San Martin and it became the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. In 1993, the headquarters were moved to a new building and the ministry now uses the building as its ceremonial headquarters.

The structure is a complex of three residences with two common rooms. The three residences surround a large patio. Notable features include an iron and glass balcony and ornate iron gates. It has many famous works of art by Argentine and other American artists like Antonio Berni, Pablo Curatella Manes and Roberto Matta. It also houses a valuable pre Columbian art collection consisting of pottery, stone and metal ware made by the indigenous people from Northwest Argentina. The Palacio San Martin has a large library with books in Spanish and other languages on international law and international relations.