Most interesting landmarks of Uruguay

Below are listed the most amazing natural and man made landmarks of Uruguay.

Natural landmarks of Uruguay

Caves

• Gruta de Colón (Araicaihuita) – Lavalleja. 57 m long cave, a habitat for bats.
• Gruta de la Salamanca – Rocha. 33 m deep and 33 m wide cave in Cretaceous tuffa.

Ecosystems

• Monte de Ombúes – Rocha. Possibly the largest and most spectacular forest of the unique ombú tree (Phitolacca dioica L.) – herb of tree like form, reaching circumference of 15 meters. For most part ombú is solitary tree, but here it forms 20 km² large stand.
• Monte de Ombúes, Arequita (Sendero de los Ombues) – Lavalleja. Forest of ombú trees (Phitolacca dioica L.) at the western part of steep cliff – Cerro Arequita.

Other natural landmarks of Uruguay

• Quebrada de los Cuervos – Treinta y Tres. A unique landscape for the country – the largest river valley in the country. At the bottom of valley is subtropical climate, here grows lush, diverse vegetation.
• Salto del Penitente – Lavalleja. More than 60 m tall waterfall. Water here slides down along a steep cliff face.
• Timbó in Villa Soriano – Soriano. This enormous Pacara Earpod tree (Enterolobium contortisiliquum) reportedly is the largest tree in Uruguay. Crown diameter – 40 m and trunk diameter – 3 m.
• Vizcaino Creek fossil bed – Canelones. Rich find of 29,000 years old fossils. Contains thousands of bones of glyptodonts, sloths and toxodonts in excellent state of preservation. Found possible stone utensils and scratches in the bones which may have been left by humans – thus hinting at possibility that humans came to Americas much earlier than it was thought before.

Man made landmarks of Uruguay

Archaeological monuments

• Chamangá pictographs – Flores. A group of 38 sites with Guarani pictographs scattered over an area of some 120 km². These drawings of geometric figures are made on large granite boulders approximately in the 13th century AD.
• Los Ajos – Rocha. A prehistoric village – complex system of mounds, built around 1000 – 500 BC. This archaeological monument testifies that in the past in this area of South America developed indigenous agricultural society.
• Valle del Hilo de la Vida – Lavalleja. Valley with some hundred enigmatic, cone shaped, up to 3 m tall stone towers. It is not known when and why these structures were built.

Churches

• Basilica Cerrito de la Victoria – Montevideo. Ornate church building, built in 1849.
• Catedral Metropolitana de Montevideo – Montevideo. Enormous and ornate cathedral in Neo-Classical style, built in 1790 – 1804.
• Cristo Obrero Church (Church of Christ the Worker) – Atlántida in Canelones. Unique modernist church, built in 1958 – 1960 after the design of Eladio Dieste. Church is built of single shelled brick, with undulating walls.
• Iglesia Matriz – Colonia, Colonia del Sacramento. The oldest church in Uruguay, built in 1695 – 1699. Simple, whitewashed building with two towers.

Government buildings

• Casa Central del Banco República – Montevideo. Impressive bank building in Neo-Classicism style. Constructed in 1938.
• Palacio Legislativo – Montevideo. The Uruguayan parliament building, built in 1904 – 1925. Enormous Neo-Classical structure with interesting architecture, ornate interior.
• Palacio Taranco – Montevideo. Ornate government building, constructed in the early 20th century. The ornate building contains the Museum of Decorative Arts.

Monuments

• Artigas Mausoleum – Montevideo. Monument to José Gervasio Artiga – a national hero of Uruguay.
• Monumento al Ahogado – Maldonado. Monument – warning to the people drowned in the sea. Represents a giant hand, with fingers sticking out of the beach sand. Made in 1982.

Urban planning monuments

• Cabo Polonio – Rocha. Interesting, isolated historical village, located at the sea behind an enormous sand dune. Village consists of a few hundred wooden buildings.
• Colonia del Sacramento Old Town – Colonia. The oldest city in Uruguay, established in 1680. There have been preserved many old buildings and cobblestoned streets of this Portuguese built city and this seaside city looks very romantic.

Fortifications

• Fortaleza de Santa Teresa – Rocha. Well preserved military fortification. Built by Portuguese in 1762 in a form of enormous pentagon.
• Fuerte San Miguel – Rocha. Well preserved fort, built by Portuguese in 1737 and rebuilt in 1933.

Other man made landmarks of Uruguay

• Casapueblo – Maldonado. Enormous private house – sculpture of artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. The white colored house is built since 1960 and now resembles a fantastic fairytale palace.
• Castillo de Piria – Maldonado. Private residence in Neo-Gothic style, built in 1897. Resembles a fortified castle. Built by Francisco Piria, who developed Piriapolis as his private town.
• Edificio Lapido – Montevideo. A skyscraper in Functionalist style, built in 1933.
• El Águila – Canelones. A private house of Natalio Michelizzi, built in 1945 in a form of eagle’s head.
• Museo Torres García – Montevideo. Art museum in seven floors high Art Nouveau building. Centerpiece of exposition is a collection of cubist paintings by Joaquin Torres García.
• Palacio Salvo – Montevideo. Iconic building – a skyscraper in original Art Deco style. Constructed in 1925 – 1928, 100 m high, 27 floors.
• Posta del Chuy – Cerro Largo. Historical inn, built in 1855 from solid stone. Untypical historical buildings for this region.
• Puente de la Barra – Maldonado. Road bridge of highly unusual design, built in 1965.

Described landmarks of Uruguay

If compared to the landscape of other South American countries, Uruguay is calm, idyllic and refreshing. Country is not that rich with breathtaking natural landmarks, but this is compensated with diverse man made heritage. Highlights of Uruguay are:

• Interesting and often – eccentric modern architecture. Casapueblo, Cristo Obrero Church, Palacio Salvo, Puente de la Barra – these buildings are daring and unusual. People in Uruguay have been not shy to test something new and different.
• Archaeological heritage. Archaeological monuments in Uruguay are not visually impressive – but their research might change the way we look on the past of South America. Last decade has brought new discoveries and now it seems to be possible that several thousand years ago here developed ancient agricultural societies.

Featured: Colonia del Sacramento Old Town

The oldest town of Uruguay – Colonia del Sacramento – today is a silent and romantic retreat for tourists. Few centuries ago it was one of the centers of (then) stormy political life in this part of the world.

Recommended books

Uruguay Focus Guide, 2nd

Stroll around the World Heritage Site Colonia del Sacramento and you will feel like you have traveled back in time: 17th colonial buildings grace the historic section, while the lively modern town extends around a bay. Go by horseback across the country’s rolling hills and stay overnight at a country estate. From historic gems to thermal springs, from charming riverside towns to gorgeous beach resorts: Uruguay is ideal for adventurous and leisurely visitors alike. Footprint Focus Uruguay also features detailed coverage of Buenos Aires, the main gateway to the country, plus comprehensive listings on where to eat, sleep and have fun.

Uruguay (Bradt Travel Guide)

This new, fully updated third edition of Bradt’s Uruguay remains the only dedicated English-language guide to a country that’s small yet bursting with character. Bradt’s Uruguay provides in-depth coverage of the capital Montevideo, where the once-derelict colonial Old City is undergoing a historic resurgence, plus detailed information on the UNESCO-listed coastal city of Colonia del Sacramento, as well as Punta del Este, where the Buenos Aires glitterati decamps to the beaches each summer.