El Zanjón de Granados

El Zanjón de Granados welcomes explorers with open arms, but planning ahead sharpens the experience. Tucked behind a simple facade on Defensa Street, the site reveals its wonders only by guided tour—so advance booking is smart, especially on weekends or busy days. Visits are more enjoyable when crowds are lighter, allowing time to linger over mosaics, brickwork, and echoes of the past.

• Best time to visit: Weekday afternoons or mornings in spring (September-November) and autumn (March-May) promise pleasant weather and thinner crowds.
• How to get there: Take Metro Line C to San Juan station, then walk three short blocks. Taxis and ride apps easily reach the area. Secure bike racks are available for cyclists.
• Accessibility: The restored house entry and upper levels are accessible, but many tunnels have uneven steps and low ceilings—families with strollers, those with mobility issues, or seniors should take extra care and inquire ahead.
• Average visit duration: 60–90 minutes, depending on the tour and group size.

The real magic of El Zanjón hides underground, where arched tunnels once carried rainwater, sewage, and the hopes of immigrants. Above ground, a painstakingly restored 1830s mansion presents carved doors, period tiles, and rare glimpses of Buenos Aires’ early elite. Several parts of the complex invite deeper exploration, each with their own story.

• Main tunnel system: Wander through hand-built brick channels, some stretching back to the city’s founding in the 1700s.
• Mansion rooms: Admire carefully restored drawing rooms, original flooring, and walls marked by centuries of change.
• Archaeological displays: View everyday objects—clay pipes, fragments of china, trading tokens—unearthed during the restoration.
• Guided storytelling: Learn about the mansion’s transformation from wealthy home to tenement, and the dramatic rediscovery of its secret tunnels in the 1980s.
• Photogenic corners: Capture dramatic light filtering through old brickwork, and striking arches reflected in pools of underground water.
• Historic links: Discover how the Zanjón—spanning beneath San Telmo—connected the early city’s struggle against flooding, epidemics, and waves of newcomers.