ARA General Belgrano was a Giuseppe Garibaldi-class armoured cruiser of the Argentine Navy.

The cruiser was built at the Cantiere Navale Fratelli Orlando, in Livorno, where her hull was laid down in 1896 and launched on 25 July 1897.

After testing of machinery and artillery, General Belgrano entered service on 8 October 1898, departing the same day entered the port of Genoa, under the command of Captain Emilio Barilari, arriving at their destination in Mar del Plata, on November 6 of that year.

After visiting Santa Cruz, Rio Gallegos, Puerto Harberton and Ushuaia, arrived on February 15, 1899, in Punta Arenas where the two presidents signed the peace treaty between the two countries.

Later, she visited Spain and again returned to Genoa to continue the modernization work, including the conversion of boilers to consume gasoline, installing a new mast and changes in the artillery.