Between the years 1976 and 1983, tens of thousands of Argentinian civilians “disappeared”. That is, kidnapped, tortured and murdered, their bodies never to be found. In the aftermath of this state-sponsored terrorism under the civic-military dictatorship of Argentina, the world reeled in shock and the country struggled to recover from their loss. The Parque de la Memoria, at the edge of the river of Constanera Norte, serves as a memorial to the victims. Of the 30,000 who disappeared, only 9000 were formally reported. The somber atmosphere of the park, brimming with an emotion that is reflected in its many monuments, is sure to strike you as you walk along the park.

The memorial breaks out into the landscape in a harsh, jagged manner reminiscent of an open wound - an allegory to the brutal happenings during the Dirty War, and leads to the river. The eighteen sculptures around the park tell the heartbreaking story; Nicolás Gagnini fragmented his late father’s portrait on twenty-five prismatic poles, and as you move around the sculpture, you can find the precise angle at which the portrait forms - and then disappears as you move away. The most prominent monument, the wall with the 30,000 plaques (and only 9000 with names engraved), appear and disappear from the angle you look at it, and it will strike a chord in even the most tightly-guarded hearts. Don’t miss out on a visit to pay tribute to a heartbreaking piece of Argentina’s past.