Every May 11th, Argentina commemorates Argentine National Anthem Day, one of the country’s greatest expressions of identity and patriotism. The date commemorates the day in 1813 when the General Constituent Assembly of Year XIII officially adopted the composition created by Vicente López y Planes and set to music by Blas Parera.

Originally, the work was conceived as a “Patriotic March,” with a strong spirit of independence and a marked anti-Spanish tone, characteristic of the historical context of the struggle for emancipation. Over time, both its name and part of its lyrics were modified, until it definitively adopted the title of Argentine National Anthem, a name it retains to this day.

The first public performance took place on May 14th, 1813, at the home of Mariquita Sánchez de Thompson, the protagonist of one of the most symbolic moments in national history. That original version was much longer than the current one and lasted nearly twenty minutes. In 1860, the musician Juan P. Estola made changes to the lyrics and melody to adapt it to the new times.

213 years later, the National Anthem continues to represent the ideals of freedom, sovereignty, and unity that gave rise to the Argentine Nation.