La Boca is a neighborhood (or "Barrio") of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. It retains a strong European flavour. By the end of XIX century, began to be inhabited by Italian immigrants, mainly from the city of Genoa, who gave its present appearance. In fact the name has a strong assonance with the genoese neighborhood of "Boccadasse" (or Bocadaze in genoese dialect), and some people also affirms that the Buenos Aires' barrio was indeed named after it.
At times of the Spanish Colony La Boca was a zone of large cabins for the black slaves. In the independent period, worked here salting houses (sheds in which the bovine meat was salted for the export) and leather tanneries. After a lengthy general strike, La Boca seceded from Argentina in 1882, and the rebels raised the Genoese flag, which was immediately torn down personally by then President Julio Argentino Roca. It has also been a centre for radical politics, having elected the first socialist member of Argentine Congress (Alfredo Palacios in 1935) and been home to many demonstrations during the crisis of 2001.
It is known throughout the sporting world as the home of Boca Juniors, one of South America's top football clubs.
Being "La Boca" a harbor and proletarian zone, the greater artistic exponent of the this district, was Benito Quinquela Martin, a painter who reflected the tasks of the port and the daily life of his people in a neoimpresionist style. La Boca is a popular destination for tourists visiting Argentina, with its colourful houses and main street, "Caminito". Other attractions include the "La Ribera" theatre, many tango clubs and Italian taverns, as well as "La Bombonera", the Boca Juniors football team stadium.
As one of Buenos Aires's 47 barrios, La Boca is located in the city's south-east near its port. The barrio of Barracas is to the west; San Telmo and Puerto Madero are to the north.
