Laurence Ourac Travel Blog: Sights at Montevideo

Take a step back in time and see the beauty of MONTEVIDEO the capital and largest city in Uruguay, a South American country.

The city is a mixture of past colonial era buildings, beaches, and history.

Montevideo, Uruguay (1)

TOP PLACES TO VISIT

Tourists visiting Montevideo have a rare opportunity to immerse in a wide array of architectural styles ranging from neoclassical buildings to postmodern style. European architecture also influenced some buildings.

Listed here are some of the noteworthy buildings and landmarks that define Montevideo.

CIUDAD VIEJA

The most well visited place in Montevideo is Ciudad Vieja – the oldest neighborhood. Tourists visiting the area are welcomed to churches, museums and theaters. Unfortunately due to the changing times, a lot of nightclubs were opened in the area. A few of the places to see include:

• Plaza Independencia

Plaza Independencia

The most important plaza in the city is Plaza Independencia. The said plaza divides Ciudad Vieja with the rest of the city. At the center, one can see Artigas Mausoleum.

Surrounding the plaza are important structures and landmarks such as Solis Theatre and Palacio Salvo.

Panoramic view of Plaza Independencia (2)

• Solis Theatre

Solis Theatre (3)

Solis Theatre dates back to 1856 making it the oldest theatre in the country. It is currently used for concerts and ballads.

• Palacio Salvo

Palacio Salvo (4)

Another famous landmark is Palacio Salvo. The building was designed by an Italian architect. Originally a lighthouse was to be placed on top which was replaced by antennas. Construction began in 1925 and was completed in 1928.

It stands at a height of 330 feet with 29 floors. The original purpose of the building was a hotel. Instead it was used as office and residence. In 2012, the antennas were removed.

• Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral

Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral

The main Roman Catholic Church in the city is Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral. It was built in dedication to the Immaculate Conception and Saints Philip and James (patron saints of the city). It dates back to the Spanish colonial time in 1740’s.

• Parish Church of St. Francis of Assisi

Parish Church of St. Francis of Assisi

Another Roman Catholic Church is the Parish Church of St. Francis of Assisi and was dedicated to the same saint. The said church was built in 1840 and was inspired by a Neo-Romanesque style.

• Church of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Vincent Pallotti

Church of Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Vincent Pallotti (5)

The said Roman Catholic parish church is also known as Iglesia de Lourdes. The church ws inspired by Neo-Baroque eclectic style in the years 1885 to 1890.

• Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity (6)

Aside from Roman Catholic churches there are also places for worship such as the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity which is an Anglican church. It is also known as Templo Ingles.

• Palacio Taranco

Palacia Taranco (7)

Palacio Taranco was built in the 20th century and inspired by French architecture. European furniture and draping were used to decorate the interior. Uruguayan government use the building as a meeting place. In 1972 it was transformed to the Museum of Decorative Arts in Montevideo. And in 1975 it was declared a National Historic Landmark.

LEGISLATIVE PALACE or PALACIO LEGISLATIVO

Legislative Palace (8)

The Legislative Palace is a government building used as the meeting place of Uruguayan parliament. In 1975, the building was declared as a National Historic Monument.

ESTEVEZ PALACE

Estevez Palace (9)

Another notable landmark and government building is Estevez Palace which utilizes Doric and Colonial styles. It was used in 1890 as the official office of the president. Currently it is used as a museum displaying memorabilia and artifacts from previous Uruguayan presidents and other officers.

WORLD TRADE CENTER MONTEVIDEO or WTC MONTEVIDEO

World Trade Center Montevideo (10)

An example of postmodern architecture in Montevideo is WTC Montevideo. The building was built in 1998 with renovations in 2002 and 2009. In 1998 WTC 1 was built and consists of 22 floors. WTC Avenue and WTC Auditorium were also built the same year. In 2002, WTC 2 was built on top of WTC Auditorium and was the twin tower of WTC 1. In 2009, WTC 3, WTC Plaza (food establishments were built inside), and Square of Towers (a place for business activities, art exhibits, and dance and music performances) were added to the whole complex. A newer tower was built and named WTC Free zone which has 23 floors and WTC 4 which has 41 floors.

TORRE DE LAS TELECOMUNICACIONES or TORRE ANTEL

Torre de las Telecomunicaciones (11)

Another postmodern building is Torre de las Telecomunicaciones – the headquarters of ANTEL. With a height of 157 meters with 35 floors, it is the tallest building in the country.

PARKS

• Parque Batlle

La Carreta (12)

Parque Batlle is one of the three major parks of the city. It occupies a total land area of 60 hectares which is mostly large trees. It is also famous for having Estadio Centenario – the national football stadium, and La Carreta – a national monument.

Estadio Centenario (13)

Estadio Centenario was built in 1930 as venue to the first soccer world cup which later became the national football stadium. There is also a football museum within the compound.

La Carreta, a bronze monument within Parque Batlle was built in 1934. In 1976 the monument was declared a national monument.

Other notable monuments and buildings include Obelisk of Montevideo, Hospital de Clinicas, Conedor Universitario No. 2 and Instituto de Higiene.

• Parque Rodo

Parque Rodo

Parque Rodo is a famous park in the city. The most distinguishing feature of the park is the artificial lake located on the north end. Other features of the park include an amusement park, front lawn of the Faculty of Engineering, and a stripe West of the Club de Golf Punta Carretas.

• Parque Prado