The oath of Independence and the mansion that almost housed the 1816 Congress

Every July 9th, Tucumán becomes the country's capital for a day, having been the cradle of Independence. The 1816 Congress, where the congressmen declared Independence, was held in the Casa Histórica (Historic House), owned by Doña Francisca Bazán de Laguna. However, authoritative sources in the province question whether this site was chosen for such a historic event and, on the contrary, maintain that the congress was supposed to be held in another old mansion in the area, on the first block of Las Heras Street.

We are talking about a mansion considered the most luxurious and oldest remaining from that era, which currently houses one of the most renowned peñas in San Miguel de Tucumán, the Peña del Cardón. But this was no random house. History tells us that it was built around 1780 and belonged to the family of a military man and former governor of the province, Bernabé Aráoz.

In the days before Independence, that house served as a meeting place for the most important families of Tucumán. It is even said that preparatory sessions for what would become the Congress of Tucumán in 1816 were held in its halls. Historical figures such as Generals Manuel Belgrano, José de San Martín, and Juan Martín de Pueyrredón passed through it. In short, it can be argued that the seed of Independence was germinated there.

It was also in this place that General Manuel Belgrano was convinced to fight the Royalist Army, a battle that saw the participation of 700 Tucumán gauchos who decided to take up arms and defend their territory in the Battle of Tucumán in 1812. For their courage and bravery, they became known as the "Determined of the Homeland."

Who knows why, on July 9, 1816, history found that house, which was shaping up to be the site where the country's Independence would be declared, closed. The rest is widely known to all.