Lanús

Lore & Background

Before the Spanish conquest, the land was inhabited by indigenous tribes including the Pampas and Guarani. The first founding of Buenos Aires took place in 1536 near what is now the Uriburu Bridge, suggesting Lanús might have been the site of the oldest settlement in the future Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. The Partido de Lanús officially became independent on January 1, 1945, separating from the Partido de Avellaneda. On October 19, 1955, the name was changed to 'Lanús' in honor of Anacarsis Lanús, who owned the land until his death in 1887.

Reader's Guide

A major industrial centre, it is served by freight and passenger railway lines. The city has chemical, armaments, textiles, paper, leather and rubber goods, wire, apparel, oils and lubricants industries, as well as tanneries, vegetable and fruit canneries. Several technical schools are located in the city, as well as the Eva Perón Medical Center. The city has a football club, Club Atlético Lanús, currently playing in the Argentine Primera División, and also a basketball team.

Did You Know?

• The city was originally named Villa General Paz on October 20, 1888.
• The first local newspaper was 'La Comuna,' founded in 1910.
• Diego Maradona was born at the Hospital Evita in Lanús.
• The municipal library, founded in 1949, holds 11,000 copies of books and magazines.