Founded by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala in December 1726 as a military base, its founder never dreamt that he was leaving the Spanish speaking world, a beautiful and flourishing city.

Today, Montevideo is a dynamic city, lying on undulating ground which gradually slopes towards the sea. The modern conception on which Montevideo is built, its healthy climate, and the many green squares, parks and gardens it contains, give to this city the appearance of a large garden.

The people from Montevideo like to call their city a Balcony onlooking the Sea (although it’s a river), and they love strolling along its 20 kilometer stretch from Escollera Sarandí in the Old City, to the Carrasco Rambla, the departament’s limit with Canelones.

CITADEL’s GATE (PUERTA DE LA CIUDADELA).
Located at the entrance to the Old City. This gate is the only thing that remains from the fortification that was protecting the former old colonial city.

After the Independence in 1825 the entire walls from the fortress were demolished.

ZABALA SQUARE (PLAZA ZABALA).
Inaugurated in 1890, it was designed by the French Edouard André. The square takes the name of Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, founder of Montevideo.

It has a French style that evokes the European cities - gardens of the epoch.

MATRIZ SQUARE (PLAZA MATRIZ).
Very few people call this square by the official name, Constitution Square. The Plaza Matriz was the mayor square of the colonial Montevideo, and the first open public space in Montevideo.

At the center of the square is located a beautiful fountain of marble, inaugurated in 1871, to receive water from the aquifer water extraction plant, located on the Santa Lucia River.

SARANDI PEDESTRIAN (PEATONAL SARANDI).
It is a recommended walk that recently was extended until the Perez Castellano Pedestrian, connecting two important points of the Old City, the Sea Port Market and the Independence Square. Along the Pedestrian are museums, art galleries, restaurants, jeweler's shops, handcrafts fairs, and several shopping stores.

TARANCO PALACE (PALACIO TARANCO).
Located at street 25 de Mayo Nº 376. Constructed at the beginning of the 20th century by French architects Girault and Chifflot, the former residence of the family Ortiz de Taranco is today the Museum of Decorative Art.

It is a house with a very rich style, inspired by the French styles of the 18th century.

TORRES GARCIA MUSEUM (MUSEO TORRES GARCIA).
Located at Pedestrian Sarandi Nº 683. His inauguration was in 1953. The museum preserves an important set of Joaquín Torres García's works, so much artistic as documentary, constituting an unavoidable model of the identity and Uruguayan culture.

Nowadays the Museum attracts more than 85.000 visitors a year, interested in both the permanent collection as the temporary ones.

MUSEUM OF PRE-COLUMBIAN AND INDIGENOUS ART (MAPI).
Located at street 25 de Mayo Nº 279. In the Museum the visitors can appreciate forms of organization and arts of the most ancient cultures of South America.

It organizes annually important exhibitions of pre-Columbian art, modern art, Photography, etc. It shelters an important collection of archaeological pieces eat jars, mortars, arrows, etc.

SEAPORT MARKET (MERCADO DEL PUERTO).
The Market of the Port of Montevideo was inaugurated on October 10, 1868. Originally it was a market destined to spurt of provisions to the ships, like fruits, vegetables, meat, birds and fish.

With the years, all the stands turned restaurants, turning this place in the major gastronomic center of Montevideo. It is a must be seen visit for all the visitors.

RIVERA'S HOUSE(CASA DE RIVERA).
Located at street Rincón Nº 437. In this authentic colonial house lived the first president of Uruguay, Fructuoso Rivera. Nowadays it works as part of the Historical National Museum.

Inside the house the visitor can appreciate original works of the great Uruguayan painter Juan Manuel Blanes as “La Batalla de las Piedras” and “ la Declaratoria de la Independencia”, as well as military uniforms of Rivera and other military men.

LAVALLEJA's HOUSE (CASA DE LAVALLEJA).
Located at calle Zabala Nº 1469. This colonial house was constructed in 1783 by Manuel Cipriano, founder of the first theatre in Montevideo. In 1830 it was sold to Juan Antonio Lavalleja, who commanded the liberating crusade of the famous Thirty three Orientales, on April 19, 1825.

In 1941 the granddaughters of Lavalleja donated the house to the State. In the middle of the 20th century the house of Andalusian style turned into a museum, where the visitors can appreciate objects directly related to the period of the independence, between 1825 and 1828 as well as the life and Lavalleja's customs.

OLD GOVERNMENT BUILDING (CABILDO).
Constructed between 1804 and 1812, by the architect Tomás Toribio, it is located in what was The Major Plaza, today Plaza Matriz.

In 1930 the constitution of the Republic was written in this building by the Constituent assembly. Nowadays it is the headquarters of the Archive and Historical Municipal Museum.

SOLIS THEATRE(TEATRO SOLISs).
Located at street Buenos Aires and street Juncal. It was inaugurated on August 25, 1856, with the performance of the extraordinary opera "Ernani" by Verdi, with Sofia Vera of the Lorini's Company, as the principal singer.

It is the major scene of the Uruguayan culture, with great concerts and show, from national and international artists of different artistic expressions as opera, ballet, theatre, classic music and the popular Uruguayan music.

INDEPENDENCE SQUARE (PLAZA INDEPENDENCIA).
The principal square of Montevideo is where all the public official acts are performed since the end of the 19th century. It is located at the entrance to the Old City, and marks the beginning of the new city.

The dominant icon of the Plaza Independencia is the statue of the biggest hero of Uruguay, the General Jose Gervasio Artigas (1764-1850). The work of the sculptor Angel Zanelli, was placed in 1924.

Under the monument is the Mausoleum, with the remains of the national hero.

18th OF JULY AVENUE (AVENIDA 18 DE JULIO).
The principal avenue of Montevideo takes its name from the date of the Constitution Oath of 1830. It begins in the Independence Square and finishes at the Obelisk, located at Boulevard Artigas facing the Park Batlle.

On this avenue there are several historical buildings, three squares, the Plaza Fabini, the Plaza Cagancha and the Plaza Los Treinta y Tres Orientales. It is a commercial street, which shelters numerous galleries, theatres, cinemas, supermarkets, restaurants and shops of diverse types.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE MUSEUM (MUSEO DE LA CASA DE GOBIERNO).
Located at Plaza Independencia Nº 776. This museum reflects the History of the Presidency of the Republic of the Uruguay between the years 1830 and 1967.

All the objects in this museum are original, among them the sword of General Artigas, the first official vehicle of the Presidency of the Republic, Bernardo Berro's presidential armchair, the jackets of the Presidents Rivera and Oribe, etc.

SALVO PALACE(PALACIO SALVO).
Located in front of Plaza Independencia. It is the most emblematic building of Montevideo, with a height of 105 meters and 27 floors. Inaugurated in October of 1922 it was the highest tower of South America until 1935. Nowadays it is the highest second building of Montevideo, overcome by the Tower of Telecommunications.

It was financed by the brothers Jose and Angel Salvo, created by the architect Mario Palanti and decorated by the painter Enrique Albertazzi.

MUSEUM OF DE GAUCHO AND THE COINS (MUSEO DEL GAUCHO Y LA MONEDA).
Located on Avenida 18 de Julio Nº 776.This museum contains an enormous variety of rural silverwork. In 1960 there were incorporated collections of coins, tickets and medals. In the museum it is possible to find a complete national monetary archive, as well as coins of the former Greece and Rome, and also colonial coins of Spain and Portugal.

In 1978 the gaucho joined the section dedicated to the popular traditional arts of Uruguay.

FABINI SQUARE (PLAZA FABINI).
Also it is named The Melée Square (Plaza del Entrevero), as an allusion to the work of the sculptor Jose Belloni who recreates a mêlée between gauchos and indians during the battles for the national independence.

In the subsoil of the square there is a room of exhibitions, where there are exhibitions of famous national and foreign artists.

THE CRAFTSMEN'S MARKET (MERCADO DE LOS ARTESANOS).
Two stores, located at Plaza Cagancha Nº 1365 and Street San Jose Nº 1213.

This Market has more than 300 craftsmen who belong to the Craftsmen's Uruguayan Association.By rules of the Craftsmen's Uruguayan Association, at least 95% of the craft must be hand crafted.

MUSEUM OF THE PRE-COLUMBIAN AND COLUMBIAN ART (MUHAR).
Located at street Ejido 1326. The exhibition shows archaeology from Uruguay, pre-Columbian art, religious colonial iconography and ancient art of the Near and Middle East.

The visitors will find an original Egyptian mummy, sculptures, monuments, simulations of cave paintings, bust of Pharaohs and queens, and an incredible place dedicated to Rome and Greece, with sculpture of large-scale gods and architectural elements.

THE OBELISK (EL OBELISCO).
This monument of 40 meters of height is a work of the Uruguayan sculptor Juan Zorrilla de San Martín. It was inaugurated in 1938 and it honors the Constituent Assembly who swore the Constitution of 1830. In its base it has three figures of bronze that represent the Freedom, the Law and the Force.

It marks the end of the Avenue 18 de Julio, and is the beginning of the Park Batlle y Ordóñez.

LEGISLATIVE PALACE (PALACIO LEGISLATIVO).
The Legislative Palace with its neoclassical Grecian style, is one of the most important and beautiful monuments of Uruguay.

It was inaugurated on August 25, 1925, and is where the Uruguayan Parliament works, with the Senate chamber (33 Senators) and the House of Representatives chamber (99 Representatives).

Tourist must visit the Salón de los Pasos Perdidos (Hall of the Lost Steps) with two barrel vaults and magnificent cupolas that separate the halls where the Senators and House chambers assemble.

Rodo Park (Parque Rodó).
The Rodó Park is a classic walk in Montevideo. It has two special attractions: the park with its flora and green areas, and the other attraction is the Amusement Park, with some entertainment attractions that are 40 years old, like the Roller coaster.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF VISUAL ARTS (MUSEO NACIONAL DE ARTES VISUALES).
Located at Street Tomás Giribaldi Nº 2283. - Created in 1911, originally it was called the Museum of Fine arts. After different and important reforms it turned into the museum of art best endowed technically and the most important of the Uruguay.

It has permanent exhibitions of the Uruguayan painter Juan Manuel Blanes, and temporary exhibitions of renowned artists like Henry Moore, Francisco Goya, Diego Rivera, Pablo Picasso, etc.

FAIR OF VILLA BIARRITZ PARK (FERIA DEL PARQUE VILLA BIARRITZ).
Every Saturday from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m.. Located between the neighborhoods of Pocitos and Punta Carretas.

Every Saturday morning a popular street market takes place, in where the visitors will find clothes, antiques, a wide variety of local handicrafts, homemade jams, fruits and vegetables. The nearby boardwalk is an additional good reason to visit this fair.

MONTEVIDEO SHOPPING.
It is the first Shopping Mall of the River Plate region (Montevideo and Buenos Aires). It was inaugurated in 1985 and it has been extended twice.

It has 3 levels with more than 200 stores, with major anchor stores, restaurants, Cinemas, a theatre, and plenty of parking space.

PITTAMIGLIO CASTLE (CASTILLO PITTAMIGLIO).
Located at Rambla Ghandi, in Pocitos's neighborhood, facing the River Plate, this eccentric building was constructed by the architect Humberto Pittamiglio in 1910.

At its front is a reproduction of the Victory of Samothrace, supported upon a ship’s bow pointing out to the sea. Inside the castle there are several symbolisms referred to the alchemy, (a discipline that Pittamiglio followed). It has the structure of a labyrinth, with multiple lounges, doors that lead to nowhere and small stairs, as well as shields and sculptures.

Nowadays the building holds a cultural center and a museum.

BOTANIC GARDEN (JARDIN BOTANICO)
The Botanic Garden is the oldest park in the city and was created by the French Carlos Racine in 1902. It has thirteen hectares that holds hundreds of trees both autochthonous and from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. It also has a beautiful green-house.

At the park are located two of the most visited sculptures in Montevideo, The Stage Coach (La Diligencia), by the most recognized Uruguayan sculptor, José Belloni and The Last Charruas (Los Últimos Charrúas), by Prati, Muñoz and Lussich.

BLANES MUSEUM (MUSEO BLANES).
Located at street Millán Nº 4015. The museum specializes in the history of the National Art. It relies on a permanent collection of the most important Uruguayan painter of the 19th century, Juan Manuel Blanes, with huge oil paintings, among them one of the most famous among the Uruguayan people, the Disembark of the Thirty three Orientals; and works of other Uruguayan artists as Pedro Figari, Jose Cúneo and Rafael Barradas

The museum has more than 200 sculptures and 2600 pictorial works.

THE HILL’s FORTRESS (FORTALEZA DEL CERRO).
It is a military construction from the year 1811. It is the last one built by Spain in Uruguay and the only one of this character that has survived to the present day.

At the Military Museum inside the fortress the visitor will be able to see the history of the Uruguayan army at the beginning of its history. Also arms from the 18th, the 19th and the 20th century. From the fortress the visitors will have the best sight of Montevideo across the bay.

CENTENARIO STADIUM (ESTADIO CENTENARIO).
It was built in 1930 to hold the first World Cup of Football, won by Uruguay. It was inaugurated on July 18, 1930, with the game between Uruguay and Peru. The design of the stadium for 100.000 persons was made by the architect Juan Antonio Scasso.

The Centenario Stadium is one of the most important stadiums of South America and on July 18, 1983, it was declared by FIFA, Historical Monument of the World Football.