Tandil Stadium

Tandil is the main city of the homonymous partido (department), located in Argentina, in the southeast of Buenos Aires Province, just north-northwest of Tandilia hills. The city was founded in 1823 and its name originates from the Piedra Movediza ("Moving Stone") which fell in 1912. The city is the birthplace of many notable sports personalities, as well as former president of Argentina Mauricio Macri.

History

The town was founded by Martin Rodriguez on April 4, 1823, named Fuerte Independencia (Fort Independence). In time the original natives became assimilated and mingled with the increasing European population. The vast majority of immigrants came from Spain and Italy, but also Danish people settled mainly guided by the Danish College of Missions, the latter constituting a very active community. Tandil was designated a city (although by modern standards it was a large town) in 1895 and became a popular tourist destination attracting people from Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina.

The Piedra Movediza fell in 1912 and split in two below. Although it is impossible after the fact to ascertain the reason it fell, it is very possible that the delicately balanced rock was thrown off balance by the common practice of placing glass bottles under it and watching them explode. This was the way the locals would prove to visitors that the rock, in fact, moved, since the movement was too subtle to be detected by the naked eye. There have been projects to restore the rock, and a replica stone was placed where the original used to be. Other similar stones like El Centinela are also attractions, but none has the truly astonishing quality of teetering ever so slowly like the "moving rock" once did.