Constitution Square (Montevideo) on:
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, also known as ''Plaza Matriz'', is the oldest
city square
A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Rel ...
in Montevideo
Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
, Uruguay
Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
.
Located in ''barrio
''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city delimited by functional (e.g. residential, comm ...
'' Ciudad Vieja
Ciudad Vieja () is a town and municipality in the Guatemalan Departments of Guatemala, department of Sacatepéquez. According to the 2018 census, the town has a population of 32,802plaza mayor'' of the Fortress City of San Felipe and Santiago of Montevideo, in which it was the only open public space. It is the center of the city's historic district, and is surrounded by important buildings, such as the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Cabildo. It is, therefore, one of the most important tourist sites.
Founded in 1726, two years after the founding of Montevideo, the square was a dusty plain until the end of the 18th century, when buildings were built around it. From that moment on, official events and celebrations, both civil and military, were held in the space, as well as bullfights, since a bullring was located in the square.
In 1851, the square was structured in a centralized way with diagonal paths lined with trees, paved and equipped with benches and lanterns.
In 1868, construction began on a steam pumping plant and a 60 km pipeline to supply the city with water. In addition, a fountain was built in the square to receive the water. On May 13, 1871, the water pumped from the Santa Lucía River to the Plaza Constitución arrived for the first time; Finally, the fountain was formally inaugurated by President Lorenzo Batlle y Grau on July 18. The fountain is a design by architect Juan Manuel Ferrari, and is composed of a circular pool with an ornate column at its center that takes the form of three dishes that open in decreasing size. In the center there are four griffins alternated with various symbolic elements, such as the National Coat of Arms.
In 2011 the central fountain was restored. It is currently the tourist and commercial axis of the ''barrio'' together with the Peatonal Sarandí. Nearby are offices, government buildings, banks, clothing stores, and cultural institutions.
File:Kiosco en Montevideo.jpg, Characteristic kiosk of the city
File:PlazaIndendenciaMontevideo1.jpg, Square name sign
File:Gran Hotel Pyramides desde la Plaza Constitución.JPG, Building that housed the Pyramides Hotel
File:J34 639 Plaza Matriz.jpg, View of the square from the southwest side
File:Invierno colorido.JPG, Flea market in the square
Ministry of Tourism
Intendencia de Montevideo
{{coord, 34, 54, 23.7, S, 56, 12, 12.7, W, type:landmark, display=title Squares in Montevideo Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo National Historic Monuments of Uruguay
History
Founded in 1726, two years after the founding of Montevideo, the square was a dusty plain until the end of the 18th century, when buildings were built around it. From that moment on, official events and celebrations, both civil and military, were held in the space, as well as bullfights, since a bullring was located in the square.
In 1851, the square was structured in a centralized way with diagonal paths lined with trees, paved and equipped with benches and lanterns.
In 1868, construction began on a steam pumping plant and a 60 km pipeline to supply the city with water. In addition, a fountain was built in the square to receive the water. On May 13, 1871, the water pumped from the Santa Lucía River to the Plaza Constitución arrived for the first time; Finally, the fountain was formally inaugurated by President Lorenzo Batlle y Grau on July 18. The fountain is a design by architect Juan Manuel Ferrari, and is composed of a circular pool with an ornate column at its center that takes the form of three dishes that open in decreasing size. In the center there are four griffins alternated with various symbolic elements, such as the National Coat of Arms.
In 2011 the central fountain was restored. It is currently the tourist and commercial axis of the ''barrio'' together with the Peatonal Sarandí. Nearby are offices, government buildings, banks, clothing stores, and cultural institutions.
Geography
Surrounding the square are the Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral, mainRoman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
in the city to the west, and the Cabildo to the east. Also on the east is Casa Vaeza, headquarters of the National Party. To the south is the Peatonal Sarandí and Club Uruguay, while the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport and Public Works are to the north.
Gallery
References
External links
Ministry of Tourism
Intendencia de Montevideo
{{coord, 34, 54, 23.7, S, 56, 12, 12.7, W, type:landmark, display=title Squares in Montevideo Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo National Historic Monuments of Uruguay