My dear travelers and lovers of unusual journeys, welcome to the new series of travelogues on the Mr.M blog. April, as well as the following months, will be dedicated to one unusual continent – South America, I will show you the countries that I had the opportunity to visit and I am sure that you will enjoy it and want to spend your vacation in one of the destinations. At the very beginning of today’s travelogue, where I will try to show you the capital of Uruguay – Montevideo, I would like to thank The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), local ministries of tourism, national tourism organizations, as well as other partners who selflessly supported my adventure in South America. With their help, travelogues from several countries were created, as well as numerous fashion stories that you will have the opportunity to read during this series of posts, and I sincerely hope that you will enjoy the new adventure.
Posts from Uruguay were created with the selfless help of The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa.
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (in Spanish: Republica Oriental del Uruguai) is a country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the west and southwest and Brazil to the north and northeast, while it borders the Rio de la Plata to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast. It is part of the Southern Cone region of South America. Uruguay covers an area of approximately 176,215 square kilometers. This country has a population of about 3.5 million people, of which almost 2 million live in the metropolitan area of the capital and largest city – Montevideo.
How was Uruguay formed? The area of present-day Uruguay was first inhabited by hunter-gatherer groups 13,000 years ago. The predominant tribe at the time of European arrival was the Charrua people. At the same time, there were other tribes, such as the Guarani and the Chana, when the Portuguese first established Colonia do Sacramento in 1680, Uruguay was colonized by Europeans later than neighbouring countries.
The Spanish founded Montevideo as a military stronghold in the early 18th century due to competing claims to the region, while Uruguay gained independence between 1811 and 1828, after a four-way struggle between Portugal and Spain, and later Argentina and Brazil. It remained under the influence and interventions of foreign countries during the first half of the 19th century. From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, numerous pioneering economic, labor and social reforms were implemented that led to the creation of a highly developed welfare state, which made the country known as the “Switzerland of America”. However, a series of economic crises and the struggle against far-left urban guerrilla warfare in the late 1960s and early 1970s culminated in a coup in 1973, which established a civil-military dictatorship until 1985. Today, Uruguay is a democratic constitutional republic, with a president who is both head of state and head of government.
In 2023, Uruguay was categorized as a “full democracy” by the Economist Democracy Index and ranked highly in international measures of government transparency, economic freedom, social progress, income equality, per capita income, innovation and infrastructure. The country has fully legalized cannabis (the first country in the world to do so), as well as same-sex marriage and abortion. He is a founding member of the United Nations, OAS and Mercosur.
Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city itself has slightly more than 1,300,000 inhabitants on an area of 201 square kilometers. Montevideo is located on the south coast of the country, on the northeast bank of the Rio de la Plata. A Portuguese garrison was established in what is now the city of Montevideo in November 1723, the Portuguese garrison was expelled in February 1724 by the Spanish soldier Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amid the Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platinum region.
There is no official document on the founding of the city, but the “Diary” of Bruno Mauricio de Zabala officially mentions the date December 24, 1726 as the date of the city’s foundation, which is confirmed by the witnesses present. Complete independence from Buenos Aires as a real city was achieved only on January 1, 1730. It was also briefly under British rule in 1807, but the city was eventually retaken by Spanish Criollos who defeated a British invasion on the River Plate. Montevideo is the headquarters of the administrative headquarters of Mercosur and ALADI, the leading trade blocs of Latin America, a position that has drawn comparisons with the role of Brussels in Europe.
In Mercer’s 2019 Quality of Life Report, Montevideo was rated first in Latin America, a ranking the city has held consistently since 2005. As of 2010, Montevideo was the 19th largest city economy on the continent and the 9th largest revenue earner among major cities. In 2022, it has a projected GDP of $53.9 billion, with $30,148 per capita.
In 2018, it was classified as a beta global city that was eighth in Latin America and 84th in the world. Montevideo hosted every match during the first FIFA World Cup in 1930.
Described as a “vibrant, eclectic place with a rich cultural life” and a “thriving technology center and entrepreneurial culture”, Montevideo was ranked eighth in Latin America in 2013. The city has historic European architecture and is actually considered one of the cities with the greatest Art Deco influence. Montevideo is Uruguay’s center of commerce and higher education, as well as its main port and financial center, anchoring a metropolitan area of about 2 million inhabitants.
What should you visit in Montevideo? Plaza Independencia (translation from Spanish for “Independence Square”) is the most important city square in Montevideo, laid out in the 19th century on the area occupied by the Montevideo Citadel. In its center is a monument to General José Gervasio Artigas, and below it is his mausoleum.
Located in the barrio Centro, on the border with Ciudad Vieja, the square has been used for numerous political demonstrations and official public events. Prominent buildings facing the square are Palacio Salvo, Solis Theater, Estevez Palace, and the Executive Tower.
The Andes 1972 Museum (Spanish: Museo Andes 1972) is located in the Old Town of Montevideo. It is a museum about the story of the famous Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 related to the plane crash in the Andes in 1972 involving a group of Uruguayan rugby players, their friends and relatives who were traveling to Chile when the plane crashed. Some of them belonged to Old Christians Rugby Club. Their story of how they survived the tragedy has been shared around the world through books, documentaries, pictures and conferences and has been the inspiration for the movie Alive and many books.
The museum honors the memory of the 29 people who died in the plane crash in the Andes and those who risked their lives to save the others. It is a reminder of those 16 Uruguayans who came back to life after 72 days in the Andes in harsh weather conditions without food and proper clothing. It is a private enterprise that has been declared of cultural and tourist interest by the MEC and the Ministry of Tourism and Deportation of Uruguay.
Salvo Palace (Spanish: Palacio Salvo) is an eclectic skyscraper at the intersection of Avenida 18 de Julio and Plaza Independencia in Montevideo. Completed in 1928, the 27-story Palacio Salvo is 105 m tall. For a short time it was the tallest building in Latin America, and upon completion it was the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world. It was designed by architect Mario Palati, an Italian immigrant living in Buenos Aires, who used a similar design for his Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires. Since 1996, the Salvo Palace has been a national historical monument of Uruguay.
Gateway of the Citadel (Spanish: Puerta de la Ciudadela) is the last remaining piece of the old wall around Montevideo. It’s just an archway with a fairly small piece of rock surrounding it, but overall it’s quite impressive and interesting. It is also set up to serve as the entrance to the Plaza Indepencia and is a great photogenic spot to photograph both the gate itself and the rest of the wall, as well as the view through it. The view towards the square, and in the background you can see the Palacio Salvo is really something special. This is a place you should not miss if you are walking around the old part of the city of Montevideo.
The Solis Theater (Spanish: Teatro Solis) is the most important and famous theater in Uruguay. It was opened in 1856. The building was designed by the Italian architect Carlo Zucci. It is located in the Old Town of Montevideo, right next to Plaza Independencia. The theater was named after the explorer Juan Diaz de Solís, who was the first European explorer to come to modern-day Uruguay.
In 1998, the Montevideo government began a major reconstruction of the theater, which included two columns designed by Philippe Starck. The reconstruction was completed in 2004, and reopened in August of the same year. The acoustic studies of the rehabilitation project were entrusted to Jerome Falala from the French studio Avel Acoustique. Thomas Giribaldi’s La Parisina, which is considered the first Uruguayan national opera, premiered in Solis on September 14, 1878.
The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica is the main Catholic church in Montevideo. It is located in the Old Town, facing Plaza Constitucion or Plaza Matriz. It was listed as a national historical monument in 1975. The origins of the basilica date back to the colonial era, when a brick church was built in 1740 on the site now occupied by the cathedral. Later, in 1790, the foundation stone was laid to start the construction of a new building, which is in the neoclassical style and was designed by Thomas Toribio. The temple was finally consecrated in 1804, when the country had not yet gained independence, so in 2004 its bicentennial was celebrated.
Later, in 1870, it was titled as a small basilica, and on July 12, 1878, Pope Leo XIII elevated it to the status of a cathedral. In 1897, it was declared a metropolitan basilica, naming the suffragan dioceses of Salto and Melo. Important ceremonies are held in this cathedral presided over by the Archbishop of Montevideo. However, there is also a parish priest who performs his duties, as well as those who are in charge of other parishes. Weddings and choir concerts are often held in this spacious temple. As was the custom in the 19th century, here rest the remains of famous people who died in the city, whether they were religious or not.
Plaza de la Constitucion (Spanish for “Constitution Square”), also known as Plaza Matriz, is the oldest town square in Montevideo. Located in the barrio of Ciudad Vieja, from 1726 he was the mayor of the city fortress of San Felipe y Santiago de Montevideo, which was the only open public space. It is the center of the city’s historic district and is surrounded by important buildings, such as the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo. It is one of the most important tourist spots in the city.
Founded in 1726, two years after Montevideo was founded, the square was a dusty plain until the late 18th century, when buildings were erected around it. From that moment on, official manifestations and celebrations, both civil and military, were held in the area, as well as bullfights, since the square also housed an arena. It is currently the tourist and commercial axis of the barrio together with the Pedestrian Sarandi. Offices, government buildings, banks, numerous shops and cultural institutions are nearby.
What is not known is that in 1868 the construction of a steam pumping plant and a 60 km pipeline to supply the city with water began. In addition, a water fountain was built on the square. On May 13, 1871, water pumped from the Santa Lucia River reached the Plaza Constitucion for the first time. Finally, the fountain was officially opened by President Lorenzo Batle i Grau on July 18. in 1871. The fountain was designed by architect Juan Manuel Ferrari, and consists of a circular pool with an ornate column in the center that takes the form of three dishes that open to a smaller size. In the center are four griffins alternating with different symbolic elements, such as the national coat of arms.
Montevideo Centenary Stadium (Spanish: Estadio Centenario) is a stadium in Parque Batlle in Montevideo, which is primarily used for football matches. The stadium was built between 1929 and 1930 to host the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, as well as to mark the centenary of Uruguay’s first constitution. FIFA listed it as one of the classic football stadiums in the world. The turning point was on July 18, 1983, when FIFA declared it the first historical monument of world football, to this day the only building to receive this recognition in the world.
Estadio Centenario is the national stadium of Uruguay and the main home of their national football team. Uruguay have always been a threat when playing at their home stadium, consistently beating top teams. Even top-ranked Brazil have managed just three wins in 20 attempts, two of which were official games during World Cup qualifiers in 2010 and 2018, but one was Uruguay’s heaviest defeat at the stadium when they lost 4-0 to Brazil in 2009.
Old City (Ciudad Vieja in Spanish) is a barrio (neighborhood or district) in Montevideo. Located on a peninsula at the mouth of Montevideo Bay, it is the city’s historic district. It was founded in 1724 as a walled city by the Spanish Empire. After Uruguay’s independence, it became an expanding quarter of the city that quickly outgrew the original fortress, which was later demolished.
As one of the city’s central districts, it forms part of its central business district alongside Centro and Cordon. It serves as a key office district, housing several commercial banks and other financial institutions, government buildings, as well as museums, cultural venues, theaters and art galleries. The district also has a high concentration of Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Neoclassical buildings.
Until 1829, it was surrounded by a wall that protected it from possible invasions. After the wall was demolished, the only part of it that was preserved was the main gate of the Citadel, which remains the emblem of Montevideo to this day. Some street names recall the presence of the wall, such as Ciudadela (citadel) or Brecha (breach), named after a breach in the wall that the British managed to open to enter the city during the British invasion of 1807 and the brief occupation of the city before they were defeated.
In 1992, the main street of Sarandi was turned into a pedestrian path, which increased its commercial and tourist attractiveness. A few years later, in 2005, it was expanded beyond the Constitution Square. Ciudad Vieja has elegant buildings from the colonial era and the first decades of independence. The Cabildo (built between 1804 and 1812), the Solis Theater, the Metropolitan Cathedral and several museums, such as the Museo Torres Garcia are among the most impressive. Also, several designer shops and recycled loft floors flourish on the streets near the port.
Pocitos is an upscale seaside barrio of Montevideo. It is bordered by Buce to the east, Batlle Park to the north, Tres Cruces, Cordon and Rodo Park to the west and Punta Carretas to the south. Pocitos is politically included in the CH municipality of Montevideo, and located along the banks of the Rio de la Plata, it is one of the most famous beaches in the city. The neighborhood is an affluent area of the city, characterized by the presence of high-rise residential buildings overlooking the Rambla and the main boulevards, along with old neoclassical and eclectic villas.
Punta Brava Lighthouse (Spanish: Faro Punta Brava), also known as Punta Carretas Lighthouse, was built in 1876. The lighthouse is 21 meters high, and its light reaches a distance of 24 km, with a flash every ten seconds. The lighthouse was modernized in 1962 and became electric. The lighthouse is important for guiding boats to the port of Banco Ingles Buceo or the entrance to the Santa Lucia River.
Batlle Park (Parque Batlle) is the main public central park, located south of Avenida Italia and north of Avenue Rivera. Along with Park Prado and Park Rodo, it is one of the three large parks that dominate Montevideo. The park and its surroundings form one of the 62 settlements (barrios) of the city. Barrio Parque Batlle is one of the seven coastal barrios, the others being Buceo, Carrasco, Malvin, Pocitos, Punta Karetas and Punta Gorda.
Barrio Parque Battle includes four former districts: Belgrano, Italiano, Villa Dolores and Batlle Park itself and borders the neighborhoods of La Blancueada, Tres Cruces, Pocitos and Buceo. It has a high population density and most of its households are middle-high or high-income. Villa Dolores, a sub-district of Parque Batlle, takes its name from the original villa of Don Alejo Rossell i Rius and Dona Dolores Pereira de Rossell. On their land, they started a private collection of animals that became a zoo and ownership was transferred to the city in 1919, and in 1955, the Planetarium of Montevideo was built within.
Parque Batlle is named in honor of José Batlle y Ordoñez, president of Uruguay from 1911 to 1915. The park was originally proposed by the Law of March 1907, which also designed wide boulevards and avenues. The French landscape architect, Carlos Thais, began planting in 1911, and in 1918 the park was named Parque de los Aliados, after the Allied victory in World War I. On May 5, 1930, after a significant expansion, it was again renamed Parque Batlle y Ordonez. Since 2010, the park covers an area of 60 hectares and is considered the “lungs” of the city of Montevideo due to the large number of trees planted here.
The Prado Park (Parque Prado in Spanish) was opened in 1873 and is the largest of the six main public parks in Montevideo with an area of 260 hectares. Located in the northern part of the city, the Miguelete stream flows through the park and the neighborhood of the same name. It is surrounded by Agraciada, Obes Lucas, Joaquin Suarez, Luis Alberto de Herrera avenues and Castro and Jose Maria Reyes streets.
The most visited areas of the park are the Rosedal, a public rose garden with pergolas, the Botanical Garden, the area around the Hotel del Prado, as well as the Rural del Prado, a seasonal livestock and domestic animal fair. Rosedal contains four pergolas, eight domes and a fountain; her 12,000 roses were imported from France in 1910. There are several jogging trails along the Miguelete River.
The presidential residence is located behind the Botanical Garden. Founded in 1930, the Juan Manuel Blanes Museum is housed in the Palladian Villa, a National Heritage Site since 1975, and includes a Japanese garden. The Professor Attilio Lombardo Museum and the Botanical Garden were founded in 1902, and the National Institute of Physical Climatology and its observatory are also located in the Prado Park.
In the next post, I will write about the Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel, which is a representative of classic Uruguayan luxury. Hotel Casino Carrasco is a historic five-star hotel and casino, located on the Rambla, the hotel is the center of the urban plan designed for the barrio Carrasco, in the first decades of the 20th century, by the French landscape architects Charles Thais and Edouard Andre.
My dear travellers, we have come to the end of this first special travelogue about the capital of Uruguay – Montevideo, where we had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of this unusual country in South America. Today’s travelogue would not be possible without the selfless help of The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa in collaboration with local partners who allowed me to feel the spirit and beauty of local culture and the beauty of everyday life in Montevideo. Of course, as always, I tried my best to convey to you my impressions of this unusual experience from Uruguay.
A person is rich in soul if he has managed to explore the world and I am glad that I always manage to find partners of my projects who help me to discover new and unusual destinations in a completely different way.
I am honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with many companies and businessmen in the tourism sector and I would like to thank The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa for this incredible adventure and for allowing me to feel the beauty of this unusual Uruguayan culture in a completely different way and to feel the beauty of everyday life in Montevideo.
How did you like my story about Montevideo and the presentation of the Uruguayan center of entertainment and hedonism that adorns the heart of this unusual country in South America? Have you had the chance to visit Montevideo and beautiful Uruguay so far?
If you have any question, comment, suggestion or message for me you can write me below in the comments. Of course, as always, you can contact me via email or social networks, all addresses can be found on the CONTACT page. See you at the same place in a few days, with some new story!
With Love from Montevideo,
Mr.M
This post is sponsored by the The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), The Ministry of Tourism of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay and The Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco Hotel and Spa and other local partners. This post is my personal and honest review of the destination experience.