Legislative Palace

You have arrived at the Legislative Palace! Come with me here, and let's stop for a moment. Look up and see this imposing work of art. We are in front of the Legislative Palace of Uruguay, the heart of the country's democracy and, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful buildings in Montevideo. A little history in its foundations, To understand this place, we have to travel to the beginning of the 20th century. Imagine that the old headquarters of the government was in the Cabildo, in the Old City, but the space was already very small. For this reason, in 1902 an international competition was called to design a new house for the laws. The winner was an Italian architect named Vittorio Meano. Tragically, Meano was murdered in Buenos Aires before learning he had won and never knew his design would come true. Construction formally began in 1908 and took almost three decades. The final project was left in the hands of another Italian architect, Gaetano Moretti. Finally, the palace was inaugurated with all the pomp on August 25, 1925, just to commemorate the centenary of the Declaration of Independence of Uruguay. The present: The Palace of Laws. Today, this giant of Greco-Roman eclecticism is the official headquarters of the Legislative Branch. The General Assembly operates here, which is divided into two chambers that are surely familiar to you: the Senate Chamber...

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