Morón is a city in the
ArgentineArgentina , 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...
provinceArgentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
of
Buenos AiresThe 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...
, capital of the
Morón PartidoMorón is a partido of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Located in the Greater Buenos Aires urban area, its head town is Morón which is located around 17 km from Buenos Aires....
, located in the
Greater Buenos AiresGreater Buenos Aires is the generic denomination to refer to the megalopolis comprising the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and the conurbation around it, over the province of Buenos Aires—namely the adjacent 24 partidos or municipalities—which nonetheless do not constitute a single administrative...
metropolitan areaThe term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
, at 34°39′S 58°37′W. Located 20 km (13 mi) west of Downtown Buenos Aires, Morón is easily reached via bus along Avenida Rivadavia, via
National Highway 7National Route 7 is a road in Argentina. It crosses the country from east to west, from the capital to the border with Chile, thus linking the Atlantic coast with the Andes, crossing the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, San Luis and Mendoza...
, and the
TBATrenes de Buenos Aires is a privately-owned company which, on 27 May 1995, took over the concession, granted by the Argentine government as part of railway privatisation during the presidency of Carlos Menem, for the operation of commuter rail services in Buenos Aires, Argentina over the broad...
Sarmiento railway lineThe Ferrocarril Domingo Faustino Sarmiento , named after the former Argentine president, statesman, educator, and author Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, was one of the six state-owned Argentine railway companies formed after President Juan Perón's nationalisation of the Argentine railway network in 1948...
.
The location, which was originally settled by the
QuerandíThe Querandí were one of the Het peoples, indigenous South Americans who lived in the Pampas area of Argentina; specifically, they were the eastern Didiuhet. The name Querandí was given by the Guaraní people, as they would consume animal fat in their daily diet. Thus, Querandí means "men with...
people, was deeded in the late 16th century by Captain
Juan de GarayJuan de Garay was a Spanish conquistador.Garay was born in Orduña, Spain. He served under the Spanish crown, in the Viceroyalty of Peru...
to Captain Juan Ruiz de Ocaña. The site later became a stop along the
Camino Real from Buenos Aires to
CórdobaCórdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, particularly after the construction of a pontoon bridge over the Morón Brook by Pedro Márquez in 1771.
Cañada de Morón was officially established in 1785, and the village became a popular vacation spot for wealthy residents from Buenos Aires and other nearby towns. Francisco de Merlo, namesake of the city of
MerloMerlo is the head town of the eponymous partido of Merlo and seat of the municipal government, located in the Greater Buenos Aires urban area.The city was founded by Francisco de Merlo in 1755 and rebuilt by Juan Dillon in 1859....
to the west, became the area's principal landowner at the time.
No consensus exists among historians as to the origin of the city's name. Possible namesakes include: Diego Morón, whose widow, Isabel Torres Briseño, was one of the area's landowners in the 18th century; Pedro Morán, another local landowner; the town of
Morón de la FronteraMorón de la Frontera is a Spanish town in Seville province, Andalusia, 63 km South-East of Seville. It is primarily known as being home to Morón Air Base. The most remarkable monuments are the Moorish castle ruins and the main church...
, in Andalucia,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, from which many of the town's first residents originated; and San Pedro de Morón, the
patron saintA patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of a local doyennne at the time.
The
Battle of Márquez BridgeThe Battle of Márquez Bridge , fought on 26 April 1829, during the civil war between Unitarians and Federalists, resulting in a victory for the Federal Party forces of Juan Manuel de Rosas and the governor of Santa Fe Province, Estanislao López, over general Juan Lavalle, who had...
took place at the site in 1829. A pivotal engagement in the era's Argentine civil wars between
UnitariansUnitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
and
FederalistsFederales was the name under which the supporters of federalism in Argentina were known, opposing the Unitarios that claimed a centralised government of Buenos Aires Province, with no participation of the other provinces of the custom taxes benefits of the Buenos Aires port...
, it resulted in a victory for the Federalists under
Juan Manuel de RosasJuan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
and the Governor of
Santa Fe ProvinceThe Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...
,
Estanislao LópezEstanislao López was a governor and caudillo of the , between 1818 and 1838, a hero of provincial federalism and an ally of Juan Manuel de Rosas during the Argentine Civil War.-Biography:...
, over General
Juan LavalleJuan Galo de Lavalle was an Argentine military and political figure.-Biography:Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires to María Mercedes González Bordallo and Manuel José de La Vallée y Cortés, general accountant of rents and tobacco for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.In 1799, the family moved to...
, who was forced to relinquish the governorship he had usurped five months earlier; Rosas' dominion over Buenos Aires Province would continue until 1852.
Wheat farms began to displace cattle ranches around Morón in the 1850s, and in 1859, the
Buenos Aires Western RailwayThe Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
reached the town. Foreseeing accelerated growth, the local gentry in 1859 commissioned urbanist
Pedro BenoitPedro Benoit was an Argentine architect, engineer and urbanist best known for designing the layout of the city of La Plata.-Life and times:...
to create its master plan. A large population of
ItaliansAn Italian Argentine is a person born in Argentina of Italian ancestry. It is estimated up to 25 million Argentines have some degree of Italian descent...
settled in Morón subsequently, and in 1867, this community founded the local Mutual Aid Society;
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
would later open a consulate in the city. The Cathedral of Inmaculada Concepción del Buen Viaje was opened for mass in 1871, and completed in 1885. A small Jewish community also settled here.
Morón was the site of a
Radical Civic UnionThe Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
uprising in 1893, during which the
National Autonomist PartyThe National Autonomist Party was an Argentine political party during the 1874-1916 period. Created on March 15, 1874 by the union of the Autonomist Party of Adolfo Alsina and the National Party of Nicolás Avellaneda...
city government was briefly deposed before federal troops restored the latter to office. The Rationalist City Hall, designed by
Alejandro BustilloAlejandro Bustillo was an Argentine painter and architect who left his mark in various tourist destinations in Argentina, especially in the Andean region of the Patagonia....
and adorned with sculptures and bas-reliefs by
José FioravantiJosé Fioravanti was a prolific Argentine sculptor known for the many civic monuments he created.-Life and work:...
, was completed in 1939. Growth in the manufacturing sector led to the city's tripling in population between the 1947 and 1960 censuses, and in 1960, the private
Universidad de MorónThe Universidad de Morón is a private university located in Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina, founded in 1960.Ten faculties offer courses on Agronomy and Agro-alimentary Sciences; Architecture, Design, Art and Urbanism; Law, Political and Social Sciences; Exact, Chemical, and Material Sciences;...
was established. Population growth subsequently slowed, and Morón acquired a suburban, largely middle class profile. The city was again in the eye of a political storm when, in 1989, Mayor Juan Carlos Rousselot of the
Justicialist PartyThe Justicialist Party , or PJ, is a Peronist political party in Argentina, and the largest component of the Peronist movement.The party was led by Néstor Kirchner, President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, until his death on October 27, 2010. The current Argentine president, Cristina Fernández de...
was impeached on corruption charges by the UCR-dominated City Council; Rousselot was returned to office by voters in 1991. Former Councilwoman
Margarita Stolbizer-Life and times:Margarita Stolbizer was born in the western Buenos Aires suburb of Morón, in 1955. She enrolled at the Universidad de Morón and graduated in 1978, after which she taught at her alma mater's law school for four years. An avid volleyball player, she created her city's first women's...
and former Mayor
Martín Sabbatella (1999 to 2009) both became prominent in national politics.
Among the most notable attractions in Morón are the central square designed by Benoit, Plaza Libertador San Martín, the Cathedral, seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Morón, and the
National Aeronautics MuseumThe Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica is a museum located in Morón, Buenos Aires, Argentina dedicated to the history of aviation, in particular the Argentine Air Force.-History:...
(
Museo Nacional de Aeronáutica) of the
Argentine Air ForceThe Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
. Deportivo Morón, the local
association footballFootball in Argentina is the most popular sport, the one with the most players and is the most popular recreational sport, played from childhood into old age...
team, was established in 1947.
The city is the birthplace of numerous notable figures in Argentine sports, culture, and history, including
auto rallyTurismo Carretera is a popular touring car racing series in Argentina, and the oldest car racing series still active in the world....
champions
DiegoDiego Aventín is an Argentine racing driver. He has run in different series, with major success in Turismo Carretera, TC 2000 and TRV6...
and
Oscar AventínOscar Raúl El Puma Aventín is a retired racecar driver from Argentina. He competed in the Turismo Carretera series together with his brother Antonio....
, the last dictator of Argentina, General
Reynaldo BignoneReynaldo Benito Antonio Bignone is an Argentine general who served as dictatorial President of Argentina from July 1, 1982 to December 10, 1983. In 2010, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the kidnappings, torture, and murders of the Dirty War.-Early career:Reynaldo Benito...
, humorist
Diego CapusottoDiego Esteban Capusotto is an Argentinian TV presenter, actor, and humorist who is noted for his participation in TV shows like Cha Cha Cha, Todo por dos pesos, and Peter Capusotto y sus videos.-Career:...
, ballerino
Jorge DonnJorge Donn, born in El Palomar, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 25 February 1947, was an internationally-known ballet dancer, he was best known for his work with the Maurice Béjart's Ballet company, and his participation as lead dancer in Claude Lelouch's film Les Uns et les Autres. He died of AIDS on...
, Congressmen Martín Sabbatella and Margarita Stolbizer, and
Academy AwardThe Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...
-winning composer
Gustavo SantaolallaGustavo Alfredo Santaolalla is an Argentine musician, film composer and producer. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score in two consecutive years, for Brokeback Mountain in 2005 and Babel in 2006.-Life and career:...
.
External links
El Diario de Morón (newspaper)