Fray Bentos
Fray Bentos on the map of Uruguay
Fray Bentos is the capital of the department of Río Negro, Uruguay.
Geography
Fray Bentos is adjacent to the east bank of the River Uruguay ( Uruguay River ) and is located 34 km from the southeastern city of Mercedes away.
History
Fray Bentos was founded in 1853 as Villa Independencia. From 1861 onwards, meat extract was prepared by the Liebig Extract of Meat Company in Fray Bentos by the method of the German chemist Justus von Liebig in large quantities. Since the 30s of the 20th century, Fray Bentos has lost its importance as a center of the meat industry.
Infrastructure
An important transport connection, the road bridge opened in 1976, Puente Libertador General San Martín is on the Uruguay River, which connects Fray Bentos with the Argentine Puerto Unzué and the shortest land route to Buenos Aires, the capital of the neighboring country exists.
Population
Fray Bentos today has 23 122 inhabitants ( as of 2004)
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Sons and daughters of the town
- Jose Pedro Barran (1934-2009), historian
- Daniel Bianchi ( born 1956 ), journalist
- Carlos Canzani ( born 1953 ), singer
- Federico Elduayen ( b. 1977 ), football player
- Carlos Fischer (1903-1969), National President 1958-1959
- Gastón Ramírez (* 1990), football player
- Juan Manuel Tenuta (1924-2013), actor
- Juan José Timón (1937-2001), cyclist