Hill Fortress of Montevideo
Hill Fortress of Montevideo, all the information so that you know this Historical Monument of the city.
It is one of the three Fortresses that came to Montevideo in the Hispanic era to enrich the historical heritage of Uruguay in terms of military engineering. The authorization of the trade of the port in the year 1778, was the motivation to locate a sentinel with flags at the top of the hill to guide the boats.
In 1801 the fixed lighthouse was installed (you can find out more here), at the same time, build the house for the personnel who made the lookout and lamppost. This fortress was built a few years later to protect these facilities.
Its construction had primarily the objective of protecting the lighthouse and the port of Montevideo against the possibility of a third invasion by the English. Currently, it bears the name of the General Artigas hero.
Located on the opposite side of the Montevideo Bay, it is located at the highest point of the city, at 134 meters above sea level. Its function was as a lodging for lookouts, a military prison, a military center and the already mentioned location of the lighthouse.
Regarding its structure, it was designed by military engineers, devoted to the technical principles of having a functional plant with simple geometry and expressive parsimony. It is a pentagonal-shaped enclosure, with immense stone walls. The austerity of this site is softened with a cornice and hexagonal sentry boxes in the four main corners.
In 1931 it was declared a National Historical Monument, making the decision to rebuild it and, in 1939, it opened its doors as a Military Museum. Currently, you can find exhibitions that show the historical evolution of the country’s weapons, as well as the relationship of regional history with the Fortress.
It is considered one of the most interesting tourist spots in the city, given its colonial architecture, its history, and its museum. For this reason, it is a visit that we recommend you do!
The Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You will be able to enjoy the facilities of the Fortress, in addition to learning more about the history, going through maps and documents, as well as a complete collection of ancient history, uniforms, weapons and utensils, until you get a guided tour of the entire place. . In turn, you will get the best panoramic view of Montevideo!
This space will allow you to transport your imagination to past decades and discover this important part of the history of Uruguay.
We invite you to join our Free Tours around Montevideo here, to continue discovering this city!
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