Monte Hermoso
Encyclopedia
Monte Hermoso is a town located on the Atlantic coast of Argentina
, some 100 km (62.1 mi) east of the city of Bahía Blanca
, in the south of the Province of Buenos Aires
. It is the capital of the partido
of Monte Hermoso
.
Founded at the beginning of the twentieth century, Monte Hermoso is a family seaside resort with more than 32 km (20 mi) of beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
and with the unique characteristic in Argentina of having both sunrises and sunsets over the sea.
The summer climate of Monte Hermoso is more temperate than that of other major seaside resorts due to the sea breeze
effect, while the water itself is warmer, making for a pleasant beach
experience.
Monte Hermoso owes its existence to the 1879 purchase of 4,000 seaside hectares (10,000 acres) by Esteban Dufaur. His son, Sulpicio, created the El Recreo estancia
in 1910, and in 1918, began welcoming guests with the inaugural of the Hotel de Madera; the hotel was built by Dafaur with lumber salvaged from a shipwreck on the shore. The settlement was established as such in 1975, and given autonomy on April 1, 1979.
The lighthouse
, Faro Recalada a Bahia Blanca, 73 m (240 ft) high and the tallest in South America, is situated on the coastal road to Sauce Grande about 7 km (4 mi) east of the resort, where it marks the route to the nearby port of Bahía Blanca
. Prefabricated in France by the same construction company, Barbier Bernad and Turenne that built the Eiffel Tower
in Paris
, it was erected in Argentina under the direction of Engineer Luigi, who also supervised the construction of the nearby naval base at Puerto Belgrano
. Opened on 1 January 1906, the manned lighthouse, painted in red and white and giving out a white flash every 9 seconds, comprises an octagonal pyramidal cast iron tower with a central cylinder lantern and gallery. Guided tours of the lighthouse are provided daily.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, some 100 km (62.1 mi) east of the city of Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
, in the south of the Province of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
. It is the capital of the partido
Partido
A partido is an administrative subdivision of the . They are formally considered to be a single municipality, and usually contain one or more population centers...
of Monte Hermoso
Monte Hermoso Partido
Monte Hermoso Partido is a partido located on the Atlantic coast of Buenos Aires Province in Argentina.The provincial subdivision has a population of about 5,000 inhabitants in an area of . Its capital city is Monte Hermoso, located from Buenos Aires....
.
Founded at the beginning of the twentieth century, Monte Hermoso is a family seaside resort with more than 32 km (20 mi) of beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and with the unique characteristic in Argentina of having both sunrises and sunsets over the sea.
The summer climate of Monte Hermoso is more temperate than that of other major seaside resorts due to the sea breeze
Sea breeze
A sea-breeze is a wind from the sea that develops over land near coasts. It is formed by increasing temperature differences between the land and water; these create a pressure minimum over the land due to its relative warmth, and forces higher pressure, cooler air from the sea to move inland...
effect, while the water itself is warmer, making for a pleasant beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
experience.
Monte Hermoso owes its existence to the 1879 purchase of 4,000 seaside hectares (10,000 acres) by Esteban Dufaur. His son, Sulpicio, created the El Recreo estancia
Estância
Estância is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 62,218 and its area is 642 km². The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Estância....
in 1910, and in 1918, began welcoming guests with the inaugural of the Hotel de Madera; the hotel was built by Dafaur with lumber salvaged from a shipwreck on the shore. The settlement was established as such in 1975, and given autonomy on April 1, 1979.
The lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, Faro Recalada a Bahia Blanca, 73 m (240 ft) high and the tallest in South America, is situated on the coastal road to Sauce Grande about 7 km (4 mi) east of the resort, where it marks the route to the nearby port of Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
. Prefabricated in France by the same construction company, Barbier Bernad and Turenne that built the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, it was erected in Argentina under the direction of Engineer Luigi, who also supervised the construction of the nearby naval base at Puerto Belgrano
Puerto Belgrano
Base Naval Puerto Belgrano is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca, about south of Buenos Aires...
. Opened on 1 January 1906, the manned lighthouse, painted in red and white and giving out a white flash every 9 seconds, comprises an octagonal pyramidal cast iron tower with a central cylinder lantern and gallery. Guided tours of the lighthouse are provided daily.