Solis Theater

We're here! Come with me here and let's pause for a moment in front of this imposing facade. What you see before you is, neither more nor less, than the majestic Teatro Solís, the oldest stage in South America and a true source of pride for all Uruguayans. A trip through time: Its History To understand the importance of this place, we have to go back to the 1840s. Uruguay was a very young nation, with barely a decade of independent life, when a group of local businessmen set out to provide Montevideo with a theater on par with the great European capitals. The initial design was by the Italian architect Carlo Zucchi, but due to very high costs, it ended up being renovated by the Uruguayan Francisco Javier de Garmendia. However, things were not easy. Shortly after beginning work, the civil conflict known as the Great War broke out. Imagine that the project was paralyzed for more than a decade. Materials imported from Europe—such as iron beams, marble, and thousands of Genoese slates—had to be hidden or buried in mud to protect them from looting. Finally, after much resilience, the theater was inaugurated with a grand gala on August 25, 1856. The cultural heart today: Its Present Today, after a spectacular comprehensive remodeling that was completed in 2004 by the architect Eneid…

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