The courtyard of the renovated faculty was packed with people who excitedly participated in the inauguration of the Córdoba and Moreno building.
With a light show, music and enormous emotion, the restored building of the Faculty of Law of the University of Buenos Aires was inaugurated. Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR). More classrooms, offices, new restrooms, staircases, elevators, and spacious classrooms that combine the latest technology with the splendor of 1890.
The event to celebrate the restoration and comprehensive enhancement of the Law School building began as dusk fell, with a pulse of light and sound heard from inside the building, with flashes illuminating the openings, moldings, and columns of the gleaming building to the rhythm of the hopeful melody of the Ode to Joy.
UNR Rector Franco Bartolacci, Rosario Mayor Pablo Javkin, and Law School Dean Hernán Botta were the voices at an event filled with enthusiasm, recognition, remembrance, and hope, typical of that feeling that comes when duty has been fulfilled with this work finally completed.
The courtyard was filled with students, faculty, non-teaching staff, lawyers, judges, notaries, and workers from the most diverse areas of the judiciary who have walked through or are still regulars in these halls, in this space now radiant with shiny floors and immaculate paint. Some two thousand people attended the event, which was a time for gatherings, reminiscing about anecdotes, and recounting experiences specific to this university environment where law, notary public service, real estate brokerage, and law teaching are taught.
First, musicians Aldana Moriconi and Joel Tortul sang the Argentine National Anthem, followed by speeches filled with emotion and gratitude for the 2600 square meters restored to new condition and the more than 2 billion pesos invested by the University from its own funds.
"Today I'm overcome with emotion. We've been through many difficulties. Sometimes it's truly difficult to keep everything running. But sometimes life kisses you on the lips. We're inaugurating this project, there's a beautiful moon, the weather is good, and the financing law has been partially approved," UNR Rector Franco Bartolacci began, his voice cracking with emotion.
“Today we repay a debt to the community of this building and to the city. We returned the best version by restoring this extraordinary building. It was a challenge to restore its original meaning and also to achieve the development of modern classrooms with the latest technology,” he said, thanking the technical areas and naming each one who worked hard to make the project a reality. “Thank you all for your work, for your effort, and to the UNR community who supported this collective project,” he continued.
“These have been tremendously difficult years. Pandemic, inflation, and now underfunding, yet despite everything, UNR is undergoing the largest expansion process in its history: this year we had a record number of new entrants; never before have so many programs and pre-university schools been created in such a short time; never before has so much work been done to ensure more people can attend UNR; never before has so much effort been put into restoring the heritage value of our buildings. This isn't just because of the authorities, but because the entire University is working to achieve what it deserves,” he added, adding, “We believe we must prioritize investment in education to try to overcome the problems facing the country. We close this day with the love of this community; it's a declaration of principles because the Public University defends itself in so many ways. We dedicate our energies to making things happen,” he concluded.
The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Hernán Botta, opened the speeches and named professors, judges, lecturers, and deans, recalling that the launch of this project occurred after a devastating storm. “It was in January, after a storm that left devastating images. Franco came to the Faculty and told me, 'Something profound needs to be done here, a complete intervention.' Today, after almost three years and an investment of 2700 billion pesos, here we are. Thank you, Rector. Let's celebrate it with joy, but also with the responsibility of caring for it every day.”
“For those of us who belong to this community, this building is what we made of it, by living here. Our lives are on these walls. I invite you to close your eyes, go back to our university life, and it's this courtyard, the classes in classroom 3, classroom 4, Ramón's bar with the historic buildings—this is our home now in its original splendor. It's creating better conditions for our students. It's honoring a mandate, defending the Public University, honoring our teachers. In every part of this building, the rule of law is defended; here, we teach free thought,” he concluded.
Mayor Pablo Javkin, also a lawyer, first expressed his feelings about this house, which remains his home, and then highlighted its importance to the city. “Rosario turns 300, with all the debate that the date brings. Yesterday marked 173 years since it was recognized as a city. This appreciation of the building is one of the greatest legacies the city will receive in its tricentennial.” He recalled: “Juan Canals was one of the most important people, and this building was built by him, but it later became a public building. In 1925, for the city's bicentennial, the unique clock tower was installed. This building has recovered from every attack, from the fire, the pandemic, the passage of time. May this packed courtyard serve as a reminder of this day and as a mandate to focus on what truly matters.”
The new
The 2600 m2 building, representing 50% of the building's total surface area, has been restored in every detail. This comprehensive project left behind the patches of previous interventions. The planning allowed for the transformation of offices into classrooms for undergraduate and graduate academic activities, the expansion of administrative spaces, the addition of accessible restrooms, and the restoration of openings, shutters, ceilings, galleries, roofs, and domes. The transformation also included the incorporation of connectivity and fundamental technological tools to enhance the educational experience.
In the main courtyard, the large spiral staircase and elevator that stood at the center of the Córdoba entrance were demolished, and a new staircase leading to the south wing gallery was built. This staircase is so similar to the one leading to Moreno Street that it feels as though it had always been there. An elevator and a new internal staircase were added to connect the ground floor to the upper floor.
Another new development is the introduction of one of the largest courtrooms located on the corner of Córdoba and Moreno Streets, designed to simulate an oral trial. The work was arduous and artisanal, respecting the building's original design but also incorporating modern techniques to prepare the structure for current climatic conditions, with special emphasis on waterproofing. The total investment was 2.700 billion pesos, with funds entirely from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (A R).
The building, which occupies a large part of the block, with entrances on Córdoba, Moreno, and Santa Fe streets, is a symbol and historical heritage of the city. It was built in the late 19th century to become Rosario's first Palace of Justice.
Since its opening in 1892, it has been the headquarters of the Provincial Courts of Rosario, the Bar Association and the Notary Association, and the schools of Law, Agricultural Sciences and Political Sciences of the Universidad Nacional del Litoral, as well as the Dr. Angel Gallardo Museum of Natural Sciences; it has witnessed more than a century of academic and institutional life.
During this long period, the building—a testament to the city's transformation—remained almost intact, with only a few minor renovations. Starting in 2022, partial revitalization work was geared toward a comprehensive renovation.
Journalist: Micaela Pereyra / Photography: Camila Casero, Karen Roeschlin, Ramiro Ortega, Sebastián Suárez Meccia.