Plaza Independencia

The Plaza Independencia is a place in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo.

The 1836 applied by the military engineer José M. Reyes and in the following year by the Italian architect Carlo Zucchi designed Plaza Independencia is the central and largest square in Montevideo. It is located at the eastern end of the Ciudad Vieja, located on the border of Barrio Centro. From the Plaza to the east, and thus to the district Centro leads to the Avenida 18 de Julio one of the major streets of the capital. 1860 followed the systematization of the facades at Plaza Independencia by the architect Bernardo Poncini, 1905, a layout of the course by Carlos Thays.

To the Plaza Independencia numerous historical and influential buildings of Montevideo are located. While in the West as the last remnant of the ancient wall that isolates standing city gate, which opens Puerta de la Ciudadela their way to the pedestrian street Calle Sarandi and thus the actual old town, is located with views of the Plaza Independencia left hand side of it, and consequently in the southern west of the quadrangular space Edificio Ciudadela. Within sight of it, but not directly to the place then, stands the Teatro Solís.

The south side of the plaza flanking the presidential residence Torre Ejecutiva and the former seat of government Palacio Estévez, while in the north, for example, the Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel. On the eastern edge of the square pass south of the Palacio Salvo and north of the Palacio Rinaldi free to look to the Avenida 18 de Julio.

In the middle of partly planted with palm trees, the square is since 1924 the Plaza superior, designed by Angel Zanelli, 17 meters high and 30 tons Artigas statue that riding shows the Uruguayan national hero Jose Gervasio Artigas as a rider in an easterly direction. This monument towers over the lying below the surface Artigas Mausoleum, where, guarded by two soldiers, the remains of the pioneer of Uruguayan independence are.

Since 1975 is classified as Monumento Histórico Plaza Independencia Nacional.