Argentina is a country that fiercely remembers its colonial past and also celebrates their independence and freedom, considering the number of monuments they have dedicated to the May Revolution. The monument to the Venezuelan general Simón Bolívar, one of the leaders of the Latin American movement against Spanish colonisation, is thus the central piece of the Parque Rivadavia, also known as Plaza Lezica to the locals.

However, the old memorials is not what makes this place special! The Parque is actually well-known for its many vendors selling books, pirated music and knick-knacks. The books are worth taking a look through, as people can hit the jackpot with the limited and vintage editions of classic books sold secondhand at low prices. Funnily enough, the Parque used to be the center of notorious music and video game piracy in the 1980s to early 2000s, especially for heavy metal music, so much so that the piracy actually contributed to the Argentine economic crisis in 2002. However, it was not only pirated music and video games that gave the Parque its fame, but metal and punk fans also gathered there to share fanzines plus sell and purchase vinyls of their favourite bands there.

In addition, something that may seem unexpected at such a historical location (but also unsurprising considering the Parque has been a musical centre since the 1980s) are the regular freestyle hip-hop competitions held at the Parque! Since 2011, a competition called El Quinto Escalón, or The Fifth Step, has become one of the most important events of the local underground hip-hop scene, leading to the rise of other similar competitions such as Halabalusa and Freestyle Las Vegas. Hence, the unique Parque Rivadavia is not just a historical location to admire statues, but also a place where you can immerse yourself in the local youth culture of the country.