Plaza Independencia is located in the city of Montevideo, Uruguay, right on the border between the Old City and the downtown area, which formerly was known as New Town.
It was originally designed by the architect Carlo Zucchi in 1837, when it was decided to expand the city. The work was inspired by his masters Percier and Fontaine, the Parisian Rue de Rivoli. Although this project, in short, was modified in 1860 by Bernardo Poncini. Between 1896 and 1906 the statue of Joaquín Suárez stood in its center, which is currently located in the Plaza de Av. Agraciada, corner of Suarez; It was moved to its current location by decision of President José Batlle y Ordóñez. In its center rises the Monument to Artigas, a large equestrian statue of José Gervasio Artigas and can be accessed by stairs to the underground mausoleum where the remains of the hero were kept in an urn, which was moved on September 23, 2011 to the Blandengues Barracks while the mausoleum was restored. The remains returned to the mausoleum in 2012. The statue is the work of the Italian sculptor Angelo Zanelli. The base has a bas-relief in bronze with scenes from the Eastern Pueblo Exodus. To the west is the Puerta de la Ciudadela, a testimony of colonial Montevideo and the beginning of the Pedestrian Sarandi. Crossing the street you can see the large glass facade of the Ciudadela Building, work of the Architect Raúl Sichero. In front of the South sidewalk you can find the Executive Tower -current seat of the Executive Power-, and the Palacio Estévez - until a few decades ago, seat of the same power, although it is still used for some protocol acts of this, such as the transfer of the Presidential Band. It also houses a museum. On the east sidewalk, on the corner of Avenida 18 de Julio, you can see the Palacio Salvo, which at the time of its construction was the tallest building in South America.
The square has 33 palm trees, a number that is reminiscent of the 33 orientals that participated in the liberating feat. The square is usually used to hold artistic exhibitions, such as the Buddy Bears exhibition that took place in 2009 and which consisted of 140 two-meter tall sculptures, each one by an artist from one of the 140 countries. In 2010, a project contest was organized for the complete remodeling of Plaza Independencia. The jury was composed of representatives of the Society of Architects of Uruguay, the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, the Permanent Special Commission of the Old City , the contestants and the Commission of the Cultural Patrimony of the Nation.
This square is a must see on any visit to Montevideo. Don’t miss it!