Plaza Independencia

The Independence square is a symbol of Montevideo and lined by several prominent landmarks.

• Plaza Independencia. The square at the end of 18 de Julio Ave., with the latter being the main commercial artery of the city. On the last Saturday of September, all the museums and historical places of interest around the Plaza Independencia open for free to the public. There is also a large "Murga," or a traditional South American parade in which all the Uruguayan political parties take part. The event is known as El Día del Patrimonio, the Day of Heritage. On the middle of the square there is a statue of general José Artigas, and under it, his mausoleum.

• Palacio Salvo. Eastern side of Plaza Independencia. Once South America's highest building, the 95m high Art Deco building Palacio Salvo still dominates Montevideo's skyline.

• Mausoleo de Artigas. This large monument in the Plaza Independencia pays tribute to José Gervasio Artigas, one of the heroes of the Uruguayan Independence. Under the monument is the mausoleum, which is open on the weekends. It contains an urn with his ashes and two honor guards keeping watch.

• Palacio Estévez (Estévez Palace). The Palacio Estévez was the office building of Uruguayan presidents until 1985. Today it is a museum of the Uruguayan presidency.

• Torre Ejecutiva. The current presidential office, next to the former. The Executive Tower was first planned as a courthouse in the 1960s, the project was halted several times until the house was finally finalized as the presidential office in 2009.

• Edificio Ciudadela. Glass framed office building at the western end of the square with a terrifying number of air conditioning units.

• Puerta de la Ciudadela. A gate to the old town; if you pass through it you're at Sarandí, Montevideo's main pedestrian street. This is one of the few remaining parts of the old city wall.

Ciudad Vieja

Probably half of what Montevideo has to offer visitors is concentrated in the area immediately west of Plaza Independencia — the old town.

Buildings and monuments

• Mercado del Puerto. This is a covered market full of restaurants and some shops selling handicrafts and souvenirs - worth seeing both as a sight, an eating place and as a place for shopping. The main market is open every day during lunch hours. The restaurants around the exterior offer both indoor and outdoor seating and they remain open for dinner.

• Catedral Metropolitana (Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral), Plaza Constitución/Plaza Matriz. The Catholic cathedral of Montevideo and the seat of the Archdiocese of Montevideo. The cathedral features beautiful artwork, among them the picture of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, the patron saint of Uruguay. Mass at least one time per day, the schedule is posted outside the door so you can check the schedules in the case you want to attend one or if you want to have a closer look at the church without disturbing a ceremony.

• Old Sepharadi Synagogue (Sinagoga de la Comunidad Israelita Sefaradí). Synagogue in the old town that was opened in 1956. It was inspired by the Portuguese synagogue in New York.

• Teatro Solís, Bartolomé Mitre. The main theater of Montevideo — consider going here if you want to see a theater performance. Also hosts a museum of its own history and is itself one of the old town's most iconic buildings.

• The sexual diversity monument (located on Policia Vieja St., between Plaza de la Constitución and Plaza Independencia.). Basically a work of modern art, graffiti painted fences and walls, all located at a side alley that should probably be avoided after dusk. It reads "Honouring diversity is honoring life; Montevideo is for the respect of all identities and sexual orientations" and was erected in 2005. It's South America's first monument dedicated to sexual diversity. Other places of interest to gay people include the Edificio Liberaij, where two gay Argentine bank robbers (featured in the 1998 movie Plata Quemada) died in 1965.

• Aduana building. Massive landmark next to Mercado del Puerto, hosting the Uruguayan customs administration.

• Cathedral of The Most Holy Trinity (Templo Inglés). An Anglican church and the oldest non-Catholic place of worship in Montevideo. Looks more like a Roman temple than a church.

Museums

• Palacio Taranco (Museo de Artes Decorativas), 25 de Mayo 376. Mo-Fr 12:30-17:30. Seat of the Museum of Decorative Art with over 2000 exhibits from all periods. Here you can see works by European masters from the last five centuries as well as ancient archeological artifacts such as Roman amphoras and furniture used by French kings. Originally the building was built as the residence of the Taranco Ortiz family. free.

• National History Museum (Museo Histórico Nacional). Spread between five old historic houses, holds important bits of the country's history. No entrance fee.

• MAPI (Museo de Arte Precolombino e Indígena), 25 de Mayo 279. Mo-Fr 11:30-17:30, Sa 10-16. Museum of indigenous art and Uruguayan archeology. As the name reveals, it showcases native American artifacts from all of South America.

• Museo Torres Garcia, Sarandí 683. Mo-Fr 9:30-19:30, Sa 10-18. Displaying works by one of the most prominent Uruguayan artists, the painter and sculptor Joaquín Torres García (1874-1949).

• Museo del Carnaval, Rambla 25 de Agosto 1825. We-Su 11-17. Small museum with carnival costumes and paraphernalia. If you don't have the opportunity to visit Montevideo during the yearly carnival, at least you will get to see some costumes and drums here.

• El Cabildo (Cabildo de Montevideo), Juan Carlos Gomez 1362. Mo-Fr 12-17:45, Sa 10-16. During the Spanish rule in the early 19th century and the first decades of independence, El Cabildo was the parliament building. Later on, various governmental departments were housed there, but since 1959 the building has been a museum, Museo Histórico Municipal, displaying the city governments archives. free.

• Casa de Lavalleja, Zabala 1469. The house of Juan Antolio Lavalleja, leader of the Thirty-Three Orientals who fought against Brazil for Uruguayan independence in the 1820s. Part of the National History Museum.

• Casa de Fructuoso Rivera, Rincón 437. Mo-Fr 11-16:45. The home of the first president of Uruguay is today a museum of the country's political history.

• Museo Andes 1972, Rincón 619. In October 1972 a plane carrying Uruguayan rugby players to Santiago crashed in the Andes, 16 of the passengers managing to survive over two months in terrifying circumstances before they eventually were found and rescued. This museum tells the story of the event, known as the 1972 Andes flight disaster.

Along Avenida 18 de Julio

Sights located along or near Avenida 18 Julio from Plaza Independencia to the football stadium, in other words, the commercial center of Montevideo.

Buildings and monuments

• The obelisk of Montevideo (Obelisco a los Constituyentes de 1830) (corner of Av. 18 de Julio and Bv. Artigas). A 40m high obelisk that was built in 1930 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first Uruguayan constitution. The three statues next to the obelisk represent "law", "liberty" and "force".

• Fuente de los Candados (The padlock fountain), Av. 18 de Julio. A small fountain at the corner of Yi, completely covered by locks. Similar to bridges in many European cities, couples come here to attach a padlock to it. If they do so their love is supposed to last forever and they will also return to Montevideo someday.

• Palacio Municipal (Intendencia), Av. 18 de Julio 1360. The massive brick building is not just a city hall but also hosts the museums of photography and art history (MuHAr). There is a viewing platform in the tower that is open to the public.

Museums

• Museo del Fútbol (Football museum) (Estadio Centenario). Mo-Fr 10-17. Located in the stadium where the first football world championships were held in 1930 you can see old photos, flags, jerseys, posters, trophies, flags and such. You will also get access to the stadium itself (unless there is a game going on).

• Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Avenida 18 de Julio 965. Small contemporary art museum owned by the newspaper El Pais.

• Museo de Historia del Arte (MuHAr), Ejido 1326. Tu-Su 12-17:30. Archeological museum with exhibits both from Uruguay and other parts of the world, the exhibits include even Egyptian mummies. free.

• Museo del Gaucho y de la Moneda, Avenida 18 de Julio 998. Mo-Fr 10-17. Two museums in one building. The one showing the gaucho (South American cowboy) culture has everyday objects from drinking horns to weapons, as well as silverware, all from the 19th century, when the Gauchos were riding around on the Pampas. The other museum, Museo de la Moneda, is a numismatic museum featuring bills, coins, and medals from the last centuries. The museums are located in Palacio Heber Jackson, a Cultural Heritage Monument and one of several iconic buildings along the avenue. free.

• Tiles Museum (Museo del Azulejo), Yí 1444. Tu-Su 12:15-17:45. Exhibiting over 5000 different colorful decorative tiles used in various buildings throughout the centuries. There are not only Uruguayan tiles on display, but also from other parts of Latin America and Europe. Also features special exhibitions of ceramics and paintings. free.

South and east

Sights located in the Parque Rodó and Punta Carretas districts and eastwards along the Rambla which features seemingly endless beaches.

Buildings and monuments

• Castillo Pittamiglio, Rambla Gandhi 633. 17:00 on Tu, Th, Sa, Su. Eccentric small brick castle located at the beach. A guided tour, arranged four times a week, is the only way to see the inside of the castle.

• World Trade Center. The largest concentration of glitzy skyscrapers in Montevideo, consisting of five towers and a square in the middle of them which is used both for business and cultural events. The complex also incorporates a major shopping mall, the Montevideo Shopping.

• Holocaust memorial (Memorial al Holocausto del Pueblo Judío). A work of contemporary art, located at the beach in Punta Carretas.

• Punta Carretas lighthouse (Faro de Punta Carretas). On the southernmost peninsula of the city. You get to walk a bit to get there. For a small fee you can get up in the tower, but the view over the city across the small bay is good from the ground too. The peninsula seems to be a quite popular spot for hobby fishers.

Museums

• MNAV (Museo Nacional de Artes Visuales), Tomás Giribaldi 2283. Tu-Su 14-19. National Museum of modern Uruguayan art, exhibiting paintings. They have a permanent exhibition featuring works of Juan Blanes, Rafael Barradas, Pedro Figari and José Cuneo. free.

• Museum of Zoology, Rambla República de Chile 4215. Built in the form of a mosque and located at the beach promenade.

Parks

• Central Cemetery (Cementerio Central). A historic cemetery with sculptures. Founded in 1835 and the final resting place for many important Uruguayan politicians, authors, and artists.

• Parque Rodó. The main park of southern Montevideo, named after the writer José Enrique Rodó and there is also a memorial in the park dedicated to him. The district north of the park is also named Parque Rodó, but the park itself stretches down into Punta Carretas. That part of the park is called Parque de las Instrucciones del Año XIII in homage to the document from 1813 demanding independence for the provinces of east of Rio de la Plata (today's Uruguay) and has a nice little lake. West of Avenida Cachon there is a small hill from which you can get a good view over Montevideo. Parque Rodó also features an amusement park (closed in the Southern Hemisphere winter) as well as outdoor sports facilities and a market on Sundays.

Districts

• Carrasco. Reached by bus or taxi it is a beautiful neighborhood full of trees by the beach twenty minutes from the Ciudad Vieja. It has very nice restaurants to eat outside tables. Its really nice to walk around and visit the small upscale boutiques in nice houses, bookstores, a small shopping center Arocena and a movie theater. The best ice cream parlor Las Delicias. If weather permits the beach is really nice and good for long walks and swimming. There is a very large street fair on Wednesdays full of fruits, foods, and clothing especially bathing suits! Also has upscale hotels.

North and west

Sights north of central Montevideo. The area with most points of interest here would be Parque Prado and its surroundings with interesting residential buildings from the early 19th century.

Buildings and monuments

• Palacio Legislativo. National parliament, the first one in South America and an iconic symbol of Uruguay's long lasting democracy. The building was completed in 1925, inaugurated the same year to celebrate the centenary of the country's declaration of independence. It is a National Historic Landmark and quite impressive as it stands in the middle of a large square. It houses the legislature and the general assembly.

• Fortaleza General Artigas. Located on the top of the Cerro Hill, this fort now houses a collection of the armory. It is the original fort from which Montevideo originated. The fort sits on the top of a hill and can be seen from many places in the city - and you'll have a fantastic view of the city from the fort. Actually visiting the fort itself can be hard, as the Cerro district itself is somewhat of a shantytown and reportedly not safe to wander around in — though it is possible to reach the fort by car or taxi.

• Torre de las Telecomunicaciones (Torre Antel), Guatemala 1075. 157 m high, this skyscraper is Uruguay's highest building. There's a viewing platform and even free guided tours (in Spanish).

• Castillo Soneira. Neogothical building from the 19th century that used to be the residence of a wealthy family.

• Hipodromo Nacional de Maroñas. Accessible by car or taxi because surrounding neighborhoods are not the safest it is a great place to spend a weekend afternoon at the horse races. The building is absolutely gorgeous build in 1874 surrounded by a beautiful park a horse pool and the track. They have a restaurant and you can see the races and have drinks on the terrace. There is plenty to see for children and space for running around.

Museums

• Museo Blanes, Av. Millán 4015. Tu-Su 12-17:45. Museum of Uruguayan art from the 19th to early 20th centuries, named after one of the most famous Uruguayan painters, Juan Manuel Blanes. Also features a Japanese garden. free.

Parks

• El Prado (Parque Prado). The largest park in the city proper, located a few kilometers north of Palacio Legislativo. It is bisected by a creek named Miguelete. The botanical garden of the city is located here too, as is the Juan Blanes museum and several pretty residences from the turn of the century. A popular place to hang out for locals.

• Parque Lecocq. A conservation area of over 50 hectares northwest of the city. It is a kind of semi-open zoo where both Uruguayan animals and animals from elsewhere are roaming around. You can see llamas, capybaras, and ostriches here, among others. One of the largest colonies of the critically endangered white antelope, native to the Sahara, lives here as well. The animals of the park will be joined by the ones from the infamously badly maintained and crammed zoo in the east of the city which is due to close in 2014 - it will be a better place for them. Parque Lecocq also borders the wetlands (humedales) of Santa Lucía.