'Green Church', or rather - the Church of Jesus in the Olive Garden (Argentina)

This temple is often called the 'Green Church', although officially it has a completely different name - the Church of Jesus in the Olive Garden (Iglesia Jesús en el Huerto de los Olivos)

The expression 'green architecture' appeared a little over half a century ago, when people began to think seriously about the consequences of their activities in relation to wildlife and the planet as a whole. The development of ecological consciousness could not but affect, without exaggeration, all spheres of human life - including, of course, architecture.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, it became a trend to arrange vertical gardens, green terraces, hanging greenhouses - especially in megacities, where daily stress revealed the need for a person to be at least a little alone with wildlife. The facades of residential and office buildings began to be decorated with ivy and other plants, giving buildings a “warm”, environmentally friendly look. Let this be a fashion and concern for the image of large (and not so) enterprises - but after all, no one has canceled the fact that plants provide oxygen, relieve stress, and simply please the eye!

However, there are states where the tradition of decorating facades with living vegetation has always existed, it seems. The first thing that comes to mind here, of course, is the south of Europe: Spain, Italy, Greece ... But there are other places on the map where it is the custom was not interrupted - first of all, these are countries with hot climates. Among other things, green spaces help their residents to hide in the shade from the scorching sun, and then it is just beautiful and, moreover, corresponds to the local tradition.

One of these countries is Argentina. In the necklace of Christian churches in the Argentine capital and its suburbs, there is a genuine emerald: the Church of Jesus in the Olive Garden. This is a Catholic parish church, not so old even by local standards: it was built at the end of the century before last. Nevertheless, it is known throughout the world as the “green church”. From the base to the very top, it is completely entwined with ivy, which gives it a peaceful and unique look. The greenery that received support rose tens of meters up, as if forming one whole with the building ... Is it any wonder that the most crowded weddings in the Argentine capital take place here?