After the earthquake of 1861, Jules Balloffet, a French urbanist, wanted to make the new Mendoza a green town. He drew up a plan with four squares, all different, forming a quadrilateral of oases around the Plaza Centrale, lying two blocks from each corner: see the original Plaza España, with its large tiled fountain, and Plaza San Martín, home to a statue of the general of the same name and lined with imposing buildings. The Plaza Italia and Plaza Chile are less spectacular.