Plus Ultra Breakwater is the main entrance to the reserve again

After being closed to the public for 12 years the Plus Ultra Brakwater reopens as the access to the Ecological Reserve. But this was not its primary funciton. It was part of the Costanera project: a place for public recreation. People gathered there bathe into the river. As it became polluted it lost all its splendour and went into decline. By late '70 the filling of the adjacent areas began thus gaining land to the river. Though the breakwater was not destroyed, its appearance changed drastically. It is no longer a projection washed by river, it is now flanked by firm land. When the premises were declared reserve it functioned as the main access till it got so deteriorated that it was closed. Today it has been recovered. Sidewalk repair, benches, illumination system and the restoration of the statue that had been vandalized bring this promenade back to visitors.

© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón Tagtachian

6 12 14 © Cora Rimoldi

The breakwater was inaugurated in 1918 under the administration of Dr. Joaquín Llambías. It formed part of the Costanera project - a place for public recreation. All the promenade was finished in 1925. In 1928 a statue was placed at the outer end of the breakwater. It commemorates the arrival of the Plus Ultra hydroplane which made its first voyage between Spain and Buenos Aires.
The breakwater today does not look like the original one. Filling the adjacent area left it halfway buried. The terrace with the changing rooms both for men and women, flowerbeds and some decorative elements remain above the surface and only one step of the staircases may be seen. The arch also suffered the same fate.
The area of the changing rooms will be trasnformed into a service area for the reserve.

© J. Simón Tagtachian© J. Simón TagtachianView of the arch© J. Simón Tagtachian Views of the arch. The top photo taken from below the arch shows the staircase. Today only the first step is exposed.