Villa Gesell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Villa Gesell
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Aerial view of Villa Gesell (2015)
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 Villa Gesell
Location in Argentina
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| Country |  Argentina |
| Province |  Buenos Aires |
| Partido | Villa Gesell |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Elevation | 1 m (3 ft) |
| Population
(2010 census [INDEC])
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| • Total | 31,730 |
| CPA Base |
B 7165
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| Area code(s) | +54 2255 |
Villa Gesell is a fun city by the sea in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It was started in 1931 by a man who wanted to grow trees on sandy dunes. Over time, it grew so much that it now includes other nearby towns like Mar de las Pampas, Las Gaviotas, and Mar Azul.
Contents
History of Villa Gesell
The city is named after its founder, Carlos Idaho Gesell (1891–1979). Carlos Gesell bought wood for his business and wanted to plant pine trees near Mar del Plata. He hoped this would help him save money.
In 1931, he bought 16.48 km2 (6.36 sq mi) of sand dunes for 28,000 pesos. He checked if there was groundwater (water under the ground) first. The coastline was 10 km (6.21 mi) long. He immediately started planting trees and built his own house in 1932. This house is now a museum for the city.
Growing Trees on Sand Dunes
Planting trees on the dunes was harder than expected. Strong, salty winds blew the sand around, hurting the young plants. This exposed their roots and dried them out.
In 1934, Gesell hired an expert, Carlos Bodesheim, but he couldn't find a solution. So, Gesell tried two new ideas himself. First, he planted many beneficial weeds that could survive in the dunes. These weeds helped hold the sand in place.
Second, he planted trees with their roots already in tubes. This helped the roots grow deeper to find water, so the wind couldn't pull them out easily. Even with these new methods, many plants were lost, but fewer than before.
In 1938, he learned about the Australian Acacia longifolia tree. This tree was perfect for sandy, salty areas. It also helped add nitrogen to the soil, which is good for other plants. The Acacia trees were a big success! Gesell planted them so they would protect the pine trees from the strong winds.
Early Tourism and Growth
Carlos Gesell moved to the area permanently in 1937. By 1940, he started to run out of money. So, he built a small timeshare called "La Golondrina" (which means "The swallow" in Spanish).
The first tourists were the Starks. Mr. Stark worked for the Siemens company. The Starks told their friends in Buenos Aires about the town, and soon more places for tourists were built. In 1943, a road, Provincial Route 11, connected the town to other areas.
As more houses were built for tourists and people living there, Villa Gesell became a real town. Carlos Gesell then focused on getting important services for the town. These included food, electricity, gasoline, and a car repair shop.
He had strong ideas about how the town should be. He didn't allow alcoholic drinks or cigarettes. He also strongly opposed having a casino, but one was eventually built in the nearby town of Pinamar.
During World War II, many people from Europe moved to Villa Gesell. They helped build the first hotels and restaurants with different themes. Many Italians worked in construction, and many Spaniards managed the shops and hotels. The town grew even more in the 1960s. People who bought land and built houses quickly got half of their land's original price back!
Modern Villa Gesell
The town slowly grew along the coastline. Today, it continues to expand and has added three more resorts to the south: Mar de las Pampas, Las Gaviotas, and Mar Azul. Villa Gesell has been a popular place for tourists since the 1940s.
In recent years, Villa Gesell was known as a place for teenagers to visit. However, the city leaders are now trying to attract older tourists and families. For example, the "Gesell Rock" festival, which was a yearly rock festival, is no longer held. Instead, the city now hosts musical shows that families can enjoy together.
Climate in Villa Gesell
Villa Gesell has an oceanic climate. This means it has mild temperatures all year round, with no really hot or really cold seasons. It also gets rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Villa Gesell (2011–2018, extremes 1942–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 42.3 (108.1) |
41.2 (106.2) |
39.4 (102.9) |
35.8 (96.4) |
30.6 (87.1) |
27.3 (81.1) |
32.5 (90.5) |
30.1 (86.2) |
33.1 (91.6) |
33.9 (93.0) |
35.3 (95.5) |
40.4 (104.7) |
42.3 (108.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27.4 (81.3) |
26.5 (79.7) |
25.0 (77.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
17.1 (62.8) |
13.8 (56.8) |
13.2 (55.8) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.6 (61.9) |
19.8 (67.6) |
22.7 (72.9) |
26.1 (79.0) |
20.3 (68.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.6 (70.9) |
21.1 (70.0) |
19.7 (67.5) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
8.9 (48.0) |
8.1 (46.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
14.2 (57.6) |
16.9 (62.4) |
20.0 (68.0) |
14.8 (58.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.0 (60.8) |
16.0 (60.8) |
14.7 (58.5) |
10.8 (51.4) |
7.3 (45.1) |
4.2 (39.6) |
3.4 (38.1) |
3.9 (39.0) |
5.9 (42.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
11.0 (51.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
9.7 (49.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 4.6 (40.3) |
3.4 (38.1) |
2.1 (35.8) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−6.5 (20.3) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−6.9 (19.6) |
−5.4 (22.3) |
−2.7 (27.1) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 101.3 (3.99) |
93.6 (3.69) |
97.0 (3.82) |
83.4 (3.28) |
72.5 (2.85) |
54.7 (2.15) |
54.9 (2.16) |
50.3 (1.98) |
62.8 (2.47) |
95.2 (3.75) |
93.1 (3.67) |
99.2 (3.91) |
958.0 (37.72) |
Fun Things to Do in Villa Gesell
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Since Villa Gesell is a city by the coast, the main attraction is the beach. The beach in Villa Gesell is 10 km (6 mi) long and has a gentle slope. There are many spas built along the beach. When you add the beaches of Mar de las Pampas, Las Gaviotas, and Mar Azul, the total beach area is 21 km (13 mi) long! The city has 150 lifeguards to keep everyone safe.
About 30 km (19 mi) south of the city, there's a lighthouse surrounded by a forest. This area is also great for adventure tours. It's the second tallest lighthouse on the coast of Buenos Aires province. The area around the lighthouse is also a nature reserve, protecting local plants and animals.
Villa Gesell also has a zoo, a golf course, a market where you can buy handmade crafts, and many discos for entertainment.
Villa Gesell vs. Pinamar Tourism
Villa Gesell and Pinamar are both popular tourist cities nearby. They have a friendly competition about the types of tourists they attract. Pinamar tries to attract wealthier Argentine tourists. Villa Gesell, on the other hand, aims to attract people from the middle class, making it a more affordable option for many families.
Getting Around Villa Gesell
The city has its own airport, called Aeropuerto de Villa Gesell. This makes it easy for people to fly in and out of the city.
City Layout and Architecture
Villa Gesell is built in a unique way, running parallel to the coastline along a main avenue. The buildings have a mix of styles, with different sizes, shapes, and colors.
In the past, building too close to the beaches caused problems for the environment, making the beach smaller each year. To fix this, the city decided not to renew the contracts for some beach buildings when they expired. Old buildings made of bricks and concrete were taken down and replaced with smaller wooden ones.
To protect the beach even more, cars are now not allowed near the beach. Also, each beach area is only allowed to have a maximum of 80 tents. These changes help keep the beach beautiful and healthy for everyone to enjoy.
X-Men Movie Mistake
In the 2011 movie X-Men: First Class, a character named Magneto travels to Villa Gesell, Argentina. However, the movie shows a completely different landscape that looks like Bariloche, which is in the Patagonia area of southern Argentina.
People who live in Villa Gesell were not happy about this mistake. They felt that a big movie like X-Men should show audiences around the world what Villa Gesell really looks like, instead of a different place.
See also
In Spanish: Villa Gesell para niños
