Uruguay - Montevideo - Plaza de la Independencia (Independence Square)

INDEPENDENCE SQUARE
It emerged as a result of the demolition of the Fortress Walls. Carlos Zucchini started building it in 1837 and it was redesigned by Bernardo Ponchini in 1860. The monument of our national hero José Artigas, is situated in the middle of the Square.

Sent by Flo from Montevideo, Uruguay.

This is from Wikipedia : Plaza Independencia (Spanish for Independence Square) is the name of Montevideo's most important plaza. It seperates Ciudad Vieja from downtown Montevideo, with the Gateway of The Citadel on one side and the beginning of 18 de Julio avenue on the other.

Many important buildings, such as the Solís Theatre and the workplaces of the President of Uruguay (both the Estévez Palace and the future Executive Tower) are located by this square.

Uruguay - Peninsula De San Gregorio De Polanco

Peninsula De San Gregorio De Polanco, a town in the Tacuarembó Department of northern-central Uruguay.

Sent by Daniela from Uruguay.

Uruguay - Suspiro's Route

Calle de los Suspiros or Suspiro's Route
Previously called Ansina's route, a very narrow stoned paved street. At both sides tipical houses belonging to the first half of 18th century.

Sent by Daniela from Uruguay.

"Probably the most photographed part of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay is the Calle de los Suspiros which can be literally translated as the 'Street of Sighs'.

There are different theories about how it got its name. One is that criminals used to get hung at the end of the street (no records to back this up so it can be dismissed). Another is that prostitutes used to line the street to tempt the sailors (where the sighs come in there are best left to your imagination), and a final one about a lover that was killed on this street and with her last breath (sigh) calling her partner (which I suspect was invented to try and romanticize the street)."(Source)

Uruguay - Punta del Este

PUNTA DEL ESTE - Maldonado.

Sent by Maria from Durazno, Uruguay.

This is from Wikipedia : Punta del Este is an upscale resort town on the southern tip of Uruguay, southeast of Maldonado and about 140 km east of Montevideo. Although the town has a year-round population of about 7,300, the summer tourist boom often boosts the population by an extra 500,000 .

The first Europeans to set foot in what is now Punta del Este were the Spanish at the beginning of the 16th century. However, the colonization of the area actually began around Maldonado at the end of the 18th century due to Portuguese expansionism.[citation needed] Punta del Este and its surroundings (Maldonado and Punta Ballena for example) at the end of the 19th century were kilometers of sand and dunes, but in 1896 Antonio Lussich bought 4,447 acres (1800 hectares) of uninhabited land and there he started a botanic garden and planted trees and plants from all over the world.

Later the trees started to spread on their own, and now the area is full mostly of Pines, Eucalyptus, Acacias and various species of bushes. Punta del Este hosted an American Summit in 1967 attended by U.S. President Lyndon Johnson. In September 1986, Punta del Este played host to the start of the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations. These negotiations ultimately led to the creation of the World Trade Organization in 1994.

Uruguay - Barra de Maldonado

Barra de Maldonado.

Sent by Lourdes and Daniel, a TravBuddy friend from Uruguay.

This is from Wikipedia : Maldonado is the capital of Uruguay´s Maldonado Department. Its population, as of 2004, was 54,603.

Maldonado was founded in 1755 at the initiative of the Governor of Montevideo Joaquin de Viana. It was firmly established by the arrival of 104 permanent settlers in 1757. Its original name was Maldonado, but, years later, its name was changed to San Fernando de Maldonado, in honor of King Ferdinand VI of Spain.