El Zanjón de Granados — Attraction in Autonomous City of Buenos Aires

A perfect example a tourist trap. Nicely restored building marketed as a „must see” attraction featuring THE TUNNEL - basically an oversized basement (EDIT: a wide passage). It’s anything but and at 9000 ARS is hardly worth it. At the end of the obligatory tour you learn that the space is used for corporate events which makes sense. If you’re interested in archeological excavations, La Manzana de Las Luces is free.

EDIT: A “tourist trap” is a term used to describe a place, attraction, or establishment that primarily targets tourists and visitors, often with the intention of prioritizing profit rather than providing genuine or unique experiences. Tourist traps typically offer overpriced or underwhelming products, services, or experiences that may not live up to the expectations set by their advertising. These places often take advantage of the fact that tourists are unfamiliar with the local area and its offerings.

On your website you advertise “the most ancient original maze under the city” as the main attraction of El Zanjan. The “maze” was disappointingly short, stretching for a length of an average subway station. In reality, it was an artfully lit, manicured wide passage that I could see from one end to the other within a matter of seconds.

The very nice and competent tour guide did his best to create some sense of intrigue and excitement, but it was clear he was struggling to make this short passage seem more captivating than it actually was.

If you allowed pictures to be taken in the “maze”, I wouldn’t have to write this unnecessarily long...

I still not sure what that was. What the place gave me in terms of experience? We went around some heavily renovated bricks areas. Limited access to tunnels (5 min out of 1 hour?!). I feel like it was waisted time and money.

Google doesn’t allow to make reply. Will make it here:

. I am not sure on experience u sell. When I come to Uffizi, I pay 8.5 euro and get access to pieces of art, old abutment bathes - within your exhibition you have reference with newspaper on this discovery. When I came to your place - I can just see heavily renovated villa with limited access. We came for tunnel experience AND the access u give just 10-12 meters in total. Also, u do not allow to make pictures there and I have 2 options why (sorry, but this place is not flash sensitive): the renovation is not in line documentation or it is unsafe to be there. Again, this is just my non professional opinion. Major concern- I did not get the value of visiting this place. 18$ for this - another q.

Finally, use the term “they” replying to me and emphasizing my limited Spanish is not the polite way of...

This as much a museum as a HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTION of a EXCAVATED OLD MANSION (turned conventillo) from old Buenos Aires.

• It’s an illustration of the evolution of neighborhoods/communities: from large mansions of the rich, to their abandonment, to their re-habitation and conversion to communal dwellings of the poor.

From the colonization viewpoint, the mansion shows the startling strength of Bricks and Adobe in the construction of colonial dwellings!

From the social viewpoint, illustrates the wealth of Spanish colonial aristocrats…. AND implicitly, the poverty of those who later domiciled in the rooms on the mansion (called Conventillos) sharing kitchens and latrine, when owners abandoned their mansions to escape the local epidemic.

The story of the “tunnels (Zanjón)” is more fascinating. These tunnels were, in effect city drains and/or sewers. In an attempt to protect their property, people walled the streams and direct them to the estuary…...