Palacio Estévez

Here we are! See the Estévez Palace, one of the most soulful corners of the entire Plaza Independencia and a true witness to Uruguayan history. Take a moment to observe its elegant neoclassical façade and that beautiful row of Doric columns that give it such a unique stately air. A little history Curiously, this building was not born to be the headquarters of government. In the mid-19th century, a prosperous Argentine businessman named Francisco Estévez commissioned its construction to be his family residence and commercial space. By 1874 the work was finished and it was seen as one of the most imposing houses in Montevideo at the time. However, after some economic setbacks for Estévez, the property passed into the hands of a bank and was finally acquired by the Uruguayan State. In 1880, under the presidency of Lorenzo Latorre and after some necessary reforms to adapt it to its new administrative role, it was officially inaugurated as the Government Palace. For more than a century, between 1880 and 1985, the most important political decisions in the country were made from these rooms. Its present Today, the administrative headquarters of the Executive Branch is located right next door, in the Executive Tower. However, the Estévez Palace continues to proudly display its status as the government palace and fulfills purely protocol and museum functions...

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