Montevideo

Montevideo

Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay, located on the south coast of the country, on the northeast bank of the Río de la Plata. The city was founded by a Spanish soldier, Bruno Mauricio de Zabala in 1724 as a strategic move in the midst of the Spanish-Portuguese quarrel over the Platine region. It was also briefly under British rule in 1807, but was eventually retaken by the Spanish Criollos, who beat the British invasion of the River Plate. Tourism accounts for a large part of Uruguay's economy, which in Montevideo is concentrated in the Ciudad Vieja area, which includes the city's oldest buildings, numerous museums, art galleries and nightclubs, with Sarandí Street and the Mercado del Puerto among the most visited sites in the old town. Located on the edge of Ciudad Vieja, Plaza Independencia is flanked by a number of attractions, including the Solís Theatre and the Palacio Salvo. The plaza is also one end of the 18 de Julio Avenue, which is the city's main tourist destination outside Ciudad Vieja. As well as being a shopping street, the avenue is famous for its Art Deco buildings, three major public squares, the Gaucho Museum, the Palacio Municipal and many other attractions. The avenue goes to the Montevideo Obelisk, and beyond that to Parque Batlle, another important tourist destination alongside Parque Prado. On the coast, the Fortaleza del Cerro, the Rambla, the 13 kilometers of sandy beaches and Punta Gorda bring in many tourists, as well as the Barrio Sur and Palermo barrios.