Historic places in Montevideo

Historic places in Montevideo

1. Drink

   Cafe Brasilero

   Chic café with regular live performances. The oldest working café in Montevideo, it was opened in 1877 and retains a historical atmosphere with historical photos and paraphernalia. You can have different sandwiches and croissants here.

2. See

   Casa de Fructuoso Rivera

   The home of the first president of Uruguay is today a museum of the country's political history.

   Mon-Fri 11:00-16:45

3. See

   Casa de Lavalleja

   The house of Juan Antolio Lavalleja, leader of the Thirty-Three Orientals who fought against Brazil for Uruguayan independence in the 1820s. Part of the National History Museum.

4. See

   Castillo Pittamiglio

   Eccentric small brick castle at the beach. A guided tour, arranged four times a week, is the only way to see the inside of the castle.

   Tue Thu Sat Sun at 17:00·U$100

5. See

   Catedral Metropolitana

   Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral

   The Catholic cathedral of Montevideo and the seat of the archdiocese of Montevideo. The cathedral features beautiful artwork, among them the picture of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, the patron saint of Uruguay. Mass at least one time per day, the schedule is posted outside the door so you can check the schedules in the case you want to attend one or if you want to have a closer look at the church without disturbing a ceremony.

6. See

   Cathedral of The Most Holy Trinity

   Templo Inglés

   An Anglican church and the oldest non-Catholic place of worship in Montevideo. Looks more like a Roman temple than a church.

7. See

   Central Cemetery

   Cementerio Central

   A historic cemetery with sculptures. Founded in 1835 and the final resting place for many important Uruguayan politicians, authors and artists.

8. See

   Fortaleza General Artigas

   This fort, on the top of the Cerro Hill, houses a collection of armoury. It is the original fort from which Montevideo originated. The fort sits on the top of a hill and can be seen from many places in the city - and you'll have a fantastic view of the city from the fort. Visiting the fort can be hard, as the Cerro district is somewhat of a shantytown and reportedly not safe to wander around in — though it is possible to reach the fort by car or taxi.

9. Eat

   Mercado de la Abundancia

   Mercado de los Artesanos

   Founded in 1836, it's the oldest market in the city. Like the one in the port it also has steak and paella restaurants, and you can buy things from vegetables to art there or dance tango. It is in the central part of the city, not far from Museo de la Historia del Arte.

10. Eat

    Montecristo

    This restaurant offers innovative dishes and is housed in a castle-like building that used to be the house of an alchemist.

11. See

    Museo de Historia del Arte

    MuHAr

    Archeological museum with exhibits from Uruguay and other parts of the world, the exhibits include even Egyptian mummies.

    Tue-Sun 12:00-17:30·free

12. See

    Museo del Tango de Montevideo

    Tango Museum of Montevideo

    The historic place of Tango music in Uruguay. It is the place where La Cumparsita, the Tango of all Tangos was first played 100 years ago, in 1917. It conserves the original pieces of the time, and a large collection of Uruguayan Tango history. Working victrols play tango all day long on original records. It is one of the most visited sites in Montevideo.

13. See

    National History Museum

    Museo Histórico Nacional

    Spread between five old historic houses, holds important bits of the country's history.

    No entrance fee

14. See

    Palacio Estévez

    Estévez Palace

    The Palacio Estévez was the office building of Uruguayan presidents until 1985. Today it is a museum of the Uruguayan presidency.

15. See

    Palacio Legislativo

    National parliament, the first one in South America and an iconic symbol of Uruguay's long lasting democracy. The building was completed in 1925, inaugurated the same year to celebrate the centenary of the country's declaration of independence. It is a National Historic Landmark and quite impressive as it stands in the middle of a large square. It houses the legislature and the general assembly.

16. See

    Palacio Municipal

    Intendencia

    The massive brick building is not just a city hall but also hosts the museums of photography and art history (MuHAr). There is a viewing platform in the tower that is open to the public.

17. See

    Palacio Taranco

    Museo de Artes Decorativas

    Location of the Museum of Decorative Art with over 2000 exhibits from all periods. Here you can see works by European masters from the last five centuries and ancient archeological artefacts such as Roman amphoras and furniture used by French kings. The building was built as the residence of the Taranco Ortiz family.

    Mon-Fri 12:30-17:30·Free

18. See

    Plaza Independencia

    The square at the end of 18 de Julio Ave., with the latter being the main commercial artery of the city. On the last Saturday of September, all the museums and historical places of interest around the Plaza Independencia open for free to the public. There is also a large "Murga," or a traditional South American parade in which all the Uruguayan political parties take part. The event is known as El Día del Patrimonio, the Day of Heritage. On the middle of the square there is a statue of general José Artigas, and under it, his mausoleum.

19. See

    Teatro Solís

    The main theater of Montevideo — consider going here if you want to see a theater performance. It hosts a museum of its own history and is one of the old town's most iconic buildings.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Montevideo (CC BY-SA 4.0).