Inmaculada Concepción parish Facts for Kids

This is the Inmaculada Concepción church, also known as "La Redonda."

The Inmaculada Concepción church is a famous church in the Belgrano neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. People often call it "the round church" or "La Redonda" because of its shape. You can find it right in front of Manuel Belgrano Square, near the Larreta Museum and the Sarmiento Museum.

The Church's Story
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The Church's Story

How the First Church Started

The very first church in Belgrano was located at the corner of La Pampa and 11 de Septiembre streets. It's said that the person who owned the land built it so that the people working on his farm could have a place to attend church services. In its early days, this church was dedicated to a saint called San Benito.

Later, the land and church were given to José Julián Arriola. He then donated the church to the religious authorities and the land next to it. There were brick and lime kilns (places for making bricks and lime) on the property, which were later used by Franciscan priests.

Building a New Church

In 1855, a rule was made that said the old church building needed to be fixed up right away. It was going to be used temporarily as a school and a chapel while new buildings were constructed.

This picture shows the church in 1875.

On December 8, 1856, the repairs on the old chapel were finished. Everyone celebrated with a big party! Important people like the Governor of Buenos Aires, Valentín Alsina, and the Archbishop of Buenos Aires attended.

Two years later, in 1858, Father José Salomón was put in charge of the church. Then, on April 20, 1860, it officially became a Parish. Don Miguel Padin was the first priest of this new Parish.

The old chapel was quite small and simple, especially for a neighborhood that was growing quickly. The roads were often muddy, making it hard for people to get there. So, in 1864, the local government of Belgrano decided to create a group to plan and build a brand new, bigger church.

Laying the Foundation Stone

After a lot of planning and setting aside money, the foundation stone for the new church was placed on Sunday, January 23, 1865. This was a special event where a document was signed and placed inside a box with the pens used and some silver medals. This box was then put under the foundation stone. Dr. Valentín Alsina, who was the Governor, was the "Godfather" of this ceremony.

The important job of building this huge church was given to an engineer named Nicolas Canale. When he passed away in 1876, his son Joseph continued the work. Another architect, Juan Antonio Buschiazzo, also helped with the later parts of the project.

Building the church took a long time because there wasn't enough money. To get more funds, they even had to sell the land where the old chapel stood and where the new church was being built.

Father Diego Miller's Efforts

From 1871 to 1875, Father Don Diego Miller was in charge of the Parish. He was a very respected priest who worked tirelessly for the people of Belgrano. Father Miller put all his energy into building the new church. This was a massive project that needed many people to work together. His name was at the top of a list that used to be on the wall next to the altar, honoring those who helped open the church.

The Grand Opening

The church was finally opened on December 8, 1878. It was a big celebration! The President of Argentina, Dr. Nicolás Avellaneda, and his ministers were there. The governor of Buenos Aires province, Carlos Tejedor, and important church leaders also attended. It was a very special day for the Belgrano community.