Luna Park Buenos Aires is also known as Stadium Luna Park, Estadio Luna Park or simply Luna Park amongst locals.
Luna Park Buenos Aires is not a funfair and thus not a Luna Park in its’ traditionel sense; it is rather a huge arena that serves multiple purposes.
It was built in 1910 by the Italian merchant Domingo Pace, where it served as an open street fair. During the 1920’s it became very popular among the overclass. By the end of the same decade the number of visitors declined dramatically leaving many of the rides abandoned.
The decline did not last long though; in 1931 the park was bought by the founders’ son, Ismael Pace, and Jose Pepe Lectoure who was a boxing legend. They renamed the park Estadium Luna Park in commemoration of the parks’ recent past as a funfair. The two new owners envisioned the creation of a sports arena, which opened in 1932.
In the following years the arena served its’ purpose and became very popular among locals as well as foreigners. During The Second World War it was also used to entertain Nazist and facist allies.
By the 1950’s the number of visitors began to decline again. Under pressure from the city, the two owners were forced to find new sources of revenue. The began renovations, but both died before they were finished. The arena was inherited by Lectoure’s son, Juan Carlos Lectoure.
Juan Carlos Lectoure – also nicknamed Tito – turned Luna Park Buenos Aires into an epicentre for music and concerts, especially for the Argentine rock scene.
In 2007 arena was declared a national historical monument. In 2013 Luna Park Buenos Aires changed owners following the death of Tito’s wife, Ernestina Devecchi de Lectoure. The new owners were Sociedad Salesiana de San Juan Bosco and Cáritas Argentina, which respectively is a Roman Catholic order and a charity organisation.
Today Luna Park Buenos Aires still serves as a cultural hub with focus on concerts, spectacles, events etc.
Additional Information
| Country | City | In operation | Status | Type |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | 1932 to present | Active | Fixed |