Plaza Independencia

Welcome to Plaza Independencia, the true heart of Montevideo. As you will see, this is not just a place of passage; It is the corner where the old part of the city embraces the modern. Sit back, look around, and I'll tell you why this place is so special. Let's do a little history: From wall to great plaza. To understand where we stand, we have to travel back in time to colonial times. See that big stone structure to the west? It is the Gate of the Citadel. In the 18th century, Montevideo was completely walled to protect itself from invaders, and that gate was the only land entrance. Already in 1837, when the wall stopped making sense, the architect Carlo Zucchi thought: What if we made a big square here? It was inspired by none other than the very elegant Rue de Rivoli in Paris. Although the design changed a couple of times, the idea of ​​creating a monumental space remained. The present: The center of everything. Today, Plaza Independencia is kilometer zero of the country's civic and political life. If you look to the south, you will see a very modern glass building: it is the Executive Tower, the current headquarters of the presidency of the Republic. Right next door is the Estévez Palace, the former headquarters that today functions as a protocol museum. It is here where, every five years, elected presidents receive the presidential sash surrounded by…

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