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Avenidas 51 and 53 lead from Plaza Moreno to Plaza San Martin , the real hub of city life. This square is less imposing than Plaza Moreno, though it is also flanked by government buildings. At the northern end there's the Casa de Gobierno , a sturdy Flemish Renaissance building with a central slate-roofed dome; to the south you'll find the eclectic Palacio de la Legislatura , whose grand Neoclassical entrance sits slightly awkwardly on a more restrained facade. More interesting than these grand public edifices, however, is the Pasaje Dardo Rocha , on the western side of the square. This elegant pitched roof building, whose three-storeyed facade mixes French and Italian influences, was originally built in 1883 as the city's first train station. The Pasaje was remodelled in 1928, some twenty years after the station had been moved to its current site on the corner of Avenida 1 and Calle 44. The Pasaje now functions as an important cultural centre (daily 10am-8pm; free) comprising a small cinema and various art museums including the new Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Latinoamericano . The galleries are located around a stunning Doric-columned central hall, in which natural light (enhanced by a discreet modern lighting system) filters down through a high glass roof onto a vast sweep of black and white tiled floor. There's also a restaurant with a sun terrace, and a pleasant cafe, the Cafe de las Artes , with a collection of books and art catalogues for customers' use. Five blocks west of Plaza San Martin, along Avenida 7, is the circular Plaza Italia where a small crafts fair is held at weekends.
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