Casa Lavalleja Museum

Here we are! Welcome to the Casa de Juan Antonio Lavalleja, one of the oldest and best preserved colonial jewels in Montevideo. To put ourselves in context, it was not always the residence of the leader of the Thirty-Three Orientals. Its history began much earlier, in 1783, when a prosperous merchant named Manuel Cipriano de Mello y Meneses ordered the construction of this two-story mansion. It was not until August 25, 1830—precisely the year of the first Uruguayan Constitution—that General Juan Antonio Lavalleja, then provisional governor of the Eastern State of Uruguay, purchased the property. He lived here with his family until his death in 1853, and the house remained in the hands of his descendants for almost a century, until 1941 when they handed it over to the State. After a careful restoration by a commission led by architect Alfredo Campos, the place opened its doors as a museum on October 12, 1942. Later, in 1975, it was declared a National Historical Monument, consolidating its status as a fundamental pillar of our heritage. Today, the house functions as one of the main headquarters of the National Historical Museum. As you tour its free rooms, you will notice how it keeps the air of the past alive. On the ground floor you can admire outstanding exhibitions such as the “Bien criollo” collection by Ro…

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