FLORES

About Flores

In 1885, the President of the time Maximo Santos decided to create the last Department of the Republic, who a special committee specially designated as the capital city.

The Department has a surface of 5132 km2 and population of 24.8 thousand people. The characteristics of its soil and pastures define it as an essentially cattle raising territory, oriented to the raising of cattle and sheep. 25% of the woolen production of the country comes from Flores; this number is distributed between the contribution of "Lavadero de Lanas Trinidad" and the "Union Rural" together with "Central Lanera Uruguaya".

A peaceful city with a villager's rhythm of life, Trinidad is proud of its Cathedral, promoted by Fray Manuel Ubedia in 1802and whose initiation gave origin to the town in an area where land was divided in enormous estates and where skin farm workers worked.

Also form part of its pride the Centenario Park, appropriate for practicing sports; its allegorical Zoo of the Future, designed by Martin Arregui who id also one of the best writers of the country; and its indigenous Reserve of Flora and Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice. But a special feature of Flores is without doubt, the "Gruta del Palacio", an enormous cave in the living rock with a natural colonnade modeled by erosion, which the Municipality aims to reevaluate creating a Didactic Eco Touristy Park.

Flores shows the attractions of rural life in its tourist farms. "EL Grunido" offers special programs and the suitable infrastructure for students; "La Esperanza" provides accommodation in its farmhouse of the end of the eighteenth century. Near this last farm is one of the most important archaeological sites of Uruguay. Along the "Chamanga" stream and its tributaries, in an area where there is vegetation, stones and native fauna, there is an assemblage of cave murals with fine engravings, printings and pictographic strokes associated with cultures of more then 10000 years ago.

Other relatively important urban centers ate Pueblo Andresito, on the Arroyo Grande and the town Ismael Cortinas limited by Soriano, Colonia and San Jose. Even depending nearly exclusively on the primary sector, Flores persists with its wish to exist, thanks to the generosity and honesty with which its inhabitants defend its soil.