Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Buenos Aires, Argentina Verified listing

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Buenos Aires, Argentina

In 1904, the Pereyra Iraola family began building a chapel dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on their land in Buenos Aires. This effort fulfilled the dream of Don Leonardo Pereyra, his widow Doña Antonia Iraola, and their six children. They hired engineer Rómulo Ayerza to design a Latin cross-shaped church with a wide nave and elegant façade. His plan also included an open narthex, two towers, and a dome inspired by the Pantheon in Paris.

The design reflected the city’s rich architectural diversity, seen in landmarks such as the Congress Palace and the Teatro Colón. Because the soil could not hold the dome’s weight, Ayerza changed his plan and removed it. He replaced the two towers with a single tall one. In 1913, a cyclone destroyed its 70-meter spire, forcing further repair.

More than a thousand workers contributed to the construction. They also built a residence with two courtyards surrounded by cloisters and a nearby school. Although the school has changed over time, its façade still preserves the original character. The basilica measures about 80 meters long, 15 meters wide, and 30 meters high.

A large crypt below the main floor hosts weekday Masses, while the upper level serves major liturgical events. Workers completed the church in 1907. On August 16, 1908, Auxiliary Bishop Gregorio Ignacio Romero consecrated it before a large congregation. From 1958 to 1968, engineers José Luis Delpini and Arturo Bignoli directed a major restoration that renewed the structure. In 1976, the remains of Don Leonardo Pereyra and Doña Antonia Iraola were placed in the crypt, linking their memory forever with the sacred building they envisioned.

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