- UFO Museum in Victoria, Entre Ríos, Argentina - Coen Wubbels
Along the Paraná River, in the southernmost corner of Entre Ríos Province in Argentina, lies the friendly town of Victoria. Since 2003 it has been connected with Rosario by a bridge spanning sixty kilometres across the Paraná delta, which changed the town from a hard-to-reach destiny into an integral part of the northeastern areas of Argentina. Extraterrestrial life, by contrast, seem to have been able to reach Victoria since ages.
Historical Buildings in Victoria
Victoria's old centre is graced with historic buildings dating from around 1900. Pick up a map at the Tourist Information situated on the corner of Boulevard Sarmiento and 25 de Mayo Street, on which the main sights are indicated, and simply explore them on foot – the town is small enough. Notice the Jugendstil canopies above some of the doors, and the decorative wrought iron fences of windows and balconies.
The liveliest part of Victoria is the main square, Plaza San Martín, with its quintessential statue of Argentina's liberator General San Martín – erected in every single city of Argentina. On the south side stands the church of Nuestra Señora de Aránzazu, dating from 1875. Step inside the historic church to admire the ceilings and walls, which in the 1950s were almost entirely covered with elaborate paintings by professor Juan Augusto Fusilier – a famous Argentinean painter in the field of religious art.
The adjacent historic building is the Municipality, dating from 1902 and in quite a dilapidated state, but oozing charm and history. Plaza San Martín is also the area where many eateries and outdoor cafés are situated – have a go at the typical homemade pasta called "tallerines".
An Abbey and a Place of Pilgrimage in Entre Ríos
The abbey "La Abadía del Niño Dios" dates from 1899 and was the first Benedictine monastery in Latin America. It is located west of Victoria and can be visited on a guided tour. The new, neo-Roman church is plain without any decorations, which adds to the serene atmosphere when during mass the monks, clad in habits, sing Gregorian chants.
A little further to the west lies Cerro de la Matanza. During Easter it is a popular place of pilgrimage in Entre Ríos, when the fourteen Stations of the Cross on this hill are visited by masses of people. The rest of the year Cerro de la Matanza is a tranquil place to enjoy the view over the Paraná river. And who knows, maybe extraterrestrial life chooses this moment to show itself!
UFOs and Extraterrestrial Life in the Paraná Delta
Others sightings of extraterrestrial life have been reported around the islands of the Paraná Delta and Laguna del Pescado. The latter received a lot of attention after farmers found mutilated cows – missing eyes, ears, tongues or reproductive organs. The big mystery is that no signs of surgical actions or blood were found.
Information about UFOs, extraterrestrial life and other supernatural phenomena has been collected in Victoria's OVNI museum [OVNI is Spanish for UFO], on San Miguel Street. Its unique and famous object is a piece of lightweight, steel-like material. Only it doesn't contain metal, nor any other known substance. It can't be looked through, unless – in some cases – a picture is taken of it. In that case it may become translucent, showing the person's hand on the other side of the material. It remains unclear why this only happens in some cases, and not always. But beware, the latest story has it that if a picture is taken with a cellphone, it may break down!
Information About the UFO Museum in Victoria
- The UFO Museum is located on the corner of San Miguel and Rondeau Street / tel: 03436 - 426601/15573082 [Directora Silvia Perez Simondini].
- Open on Tuesday-Friday 4-9:30pm, & Saturday-Sunday 10am-12:30pm and 3-8pm.
- Entrance is free of charge but a donation is welcome.
Victoria in Entre Ríos – Historic Buildings and Extraterrestrial Life
Victoria is a friendly city and easily visited on a daytrip from Rosario. Among its attractions are historic buildings, the paintings inside the church and the oldest Benedictine Monastery in Latin America. The Paraná Delta is known for its sightings of extraterrestrial life and other supernatural phenomena. Lovers of historic architecture may want to learn more about historic buildings in Buenos Aires or the historic city of Santa Fé.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual (Dutch-English) writer who has been travelling in Asia and South America since 2003.
