Avenida 9 de Julio

Named for the date of Argentine independence, this exceptionally wide avenue slices through central Buenos Aires and is often cited among the broadest thoroughfares in the world. Conceived in the late nineteenth century and opened in stages through the twentieth, it required the demolition of entire city blocks. Its central island carries the Obelisco, while landscaped medians, monuments and towering jacaranda trees line the roadway. Crossing it on foot involves several traffic islands and a full cycle of signals.