Located just a few steps from Plaza 9 de Julio, Paseo Bosetti is a small pedestrian passage with a surprisingly layered history.

At first glance, the pedestrian passage is surprisingly quiet.

Most of the artisan stalls sit empty during the week,

Parts of the paseo show their age, and unless a cultural event is taking place nearby, there is often less activity here than visitors might expect from such a central location.

And yet, few places in Posadas contain as much local history in such a small space.

Behind the faded stalls and basalt walkways lies the story of an old municipal market, a century-old land donation, hidden murals, and one of the most unusual cultural buildings in Misiones.

The Bosetti family and the origins of the paseo

The origins of Paseo Bosetti date back to the beginning of the twentieth century.

The original notarial documents from 1901 still survive in the city archives today.

Carlos Bosetti belonged to the generation of early European settlers connected to the development of Misiones during the late nineteenth century. Like many pioneers of that period, his work was closely tied to yerba mate, which was still largely harvested from wild plants deep inside the forests of the territory.

That connection to mate culture would remain part of the identity of the area long after the original donation.

From municipal market to neglected passage

Following the donation, the municipality established the Mercado Bosetti on the site.

For decades, the market formed part of everyday life in Posadas. Vendors sold vegetables, fruit, meat, and other products here while the surrounding city center slowly expanded around it.

But by the second half of the twentieth century, the market gradually declined.

During the 1980s, the old structures were increasingly occupied by municipal offices and storage areas. Different city departments operated here, and parts of the property were even used for impounded vehicles. The area lost much of its original identity and became largely forgotten within the urban center.

Looking at parts of the paseo today, traces of that decline still feel visible.

The transformation of the 1990s

The current Paseo Bosetti largely emerged during a major redevelopment project in the 1990s.

In July 1997, the renovated pedestrian promenade officially opened to the public. Around the same time, the city organized a mural competition for the new paseo.

Near the Bolívar entrance stands one of the paseo’s most recognizable features: El Matero, a sculpture by Posadas artist Jerónimo Rodríguez created from recycled gas cylinders. The figure drinking mate has become one of the most photographed artistic details in the area and reflects the continuing connection between the site and regional mate culture.

The real highlight: Palacio del Mate

While Paseo Bosetti itself can feel somewhat subdued today, the Palacio del Mate, located directly beside the promenade on Rivadavia Street, remains one of the most fascinating cultural buildings in Posadas.

Inside, the Palacio originally functioned as a gathering place for musicians, writers, artists, and folkloric groups. The building contained spaces such as the Salón Mayor, the Sala de Música, the Sala de Truco, and La Pulpería, all decorated with murals and frescoes inspired by Misiones, mate culture, and regional life.

Artists including René Brussau, Juan de Dios Mena, Adolf Neunteufel, Lucas Braulio Areco, and Nicolás Reviakin contributed works to the interior.

Many of those murals disappeared beneath layers of paint during decades in which the building was repeatedly converted into administrative offices under different governments. Restoration work has only begun recovering parts of the original artwork in recent years.

Today, the Palacio del Mate also houses the Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes Lucas Braulio Areco, one of the city’s most important municipal art museums.

A place that reflects Posadas itself

Paseo Bosetti is not the grandest attraction in Posadas, nor the busiest.

But perhaps that is exactly what makes it interesting.

The passage reflects many of the contradictions of the city itself: periods of growth and neglect, ambitious cultural projects, forgotten spaces, and ongoing attempts to preserve local identity within a rapidly changing urban center.

Some visitors may simply walk through it on the way to Plaza 9 de Julio.

Others stop at El Matero, enter the Palacio del Mate, or notice the murals hidden between the aging walls.

Either way, Paseo Bosetti remains one of the few places in downtown Posadas where over a century of the city’s history still quietly overlaps in a single block.

Visitor information

Location: Between Bolívar Street, Buenos Aires Street, and Rivadavia Street, downtown Posadas

Main attractions: Palacio del Mate, Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes Lucas Braulio Areco, El Matero sculpture, public murals

Entry: Free

Best combined with: Plaza 9 de Julio, the Cathedral, and the nearby pedestrian streets of central Posadas

Sources

• Archivo Histórico de Posadas — Escritura Pública de Donación (1901)
• Junta de Estudios Históricos de Misiones
• Municipalidad de Posadas
• Museo Municipal de Bellas Artes Lucas Braulio Areco
• Historical documents on the Palacio del Mate and Paseo Bosetti