Casa Barco Irupé – San Nicolás de Los Arroyos, Argentina - Atlas Obscura
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Casa Barco Irupé

San Nicolás de Los Arroyos, Argentina

A poet in love with the Parana River built this unique house that became a landmark. 

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Located just two blocks from the Parana River, this curious-looking house was built in 1964 by the local poet Oscar Felipe Cafiero, after 15 years of hard work and planning. It has a bow and a stern, with complementing details such as portholes, pilot ladders, bitts, chains, and an anchor.

Cafiero worked for many years in the Argentinian Navy. There he learned to love the river and the ocean, as he was also an avid watersports fan. His passion for rivers and seas motivated him to build his ship-shaped house in 1964, which he named Irupé, after a common water lily species in Argentina.

Know Before You Go

You can take pictures of the outside of the house, buy you can’t visit the interior, as it is private property.

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