This is the continuation of our Untapped Cities series on abandoned amusement parks around the world. Beginning with Terra Encantada in Rio de Janeiro, we follow up with Parque de La Ciudad in Buenos Aires.
I travel around the world visting amusement parks, abandoned and functioning. Parque de La Ciudad “Park of the City”) in Buenos Aires was very special to me. The park was planned during Argentina’s Military Government, around 1978. They wanted to build a large amusement park with all new rides, and money wasn’t an issue. They planned two major roller coasters that cost $16.5 million at that time, along with a lot of flat rides and a huge observation tower. When the park opened its doors in 1982, it had 62 attractions.
The return to a democratic government, along with a long recession period were some of the factors that contributed to the closing of the park in 2003, when Buenos Aires’ mayor decided to close the park claiming that he wanted to refurbish all the rides. The park remained closed for 4 years. In 2007 it reopened with just a few attractions, but it was closed again in 2008, when the city government claimed that the park’s rides were not safe.
Nowadays the park is partially open. People are allowed in the center areas, where the picnic tables, small lake, restrooms and green areas are. The observation tower, called Torre Espacial (space needle), reopened last year.
Main entrance and the observation tower.
Vertigorama, the coaster that never opened to the public.
The old cable lift.
Aconcagua, South America’s tallest roller coaster for more than a decade.
In 2013 there will be a large music concert in Argentina called Rock in Rio, and it Parque de la Ciudad is reportedly to be used for the event. If you have the chance, go to Argentina and visit this amazing abandoned park while it’s still there.
