General Las Heras: A Town of Berni Murals and Artisan Cheeses

General Las Heras, a town just 70 km southwest of Buenos Aires, offers unexpected riches, including striking murals by the renowned artist Antonio Berni and distinctive artisanal cheeses from Luna de Campo. The town, now a city, also boasts new dining establishments like Borgoña casa de vinos and a welcoming populace.

Its natural landscape is enhanced by tree-lined streets featuring willows, plane trees, and eucalyptus, complemented by native flora. General Las Heras proudly holds the title of the national capital of duck, celebrating this with an annual festival each November.

For art enthusiasts, the town's most significant treasures are the 1981 murals by Antonio Berni, created shortly before his death for the chapel of the Instituto San Luis Gonzaga. These works, including 'The Apocalypse' and 'The Crucifixion,' are noted for their vibrant colors and expressive figures that convey both social injustice and hope.

Federico Stevens, a former student and local enthusiast, now helps visitors appreciate Berni's work. He recounts how artist Antonio Semino and Father Hipólito Pordomingo, founder of the school and chapel, were instrumental in bringing Berni's art to the town. The chapel itself, inaugurated in 1961, was a response to a long-standing need for a secondary school in the area.

The town's central grid, with its cobblestone streets dating back to the 1920s, preserves 19th and early 20th-century facades. While some buildings like the centennial Almacén Carllinni show signs of neglect, others, such as the beautifully restored Sociedad Española cinema-theater, stand as testaments to the town's history, particularly its connection to Spanish and Basque immigrants who arrived in the mid-19th century.