MALDONADO
About Maldonado
A popular old saying gives credence to the belief that if one drinks the water from the fountain of "Cachimba del Rey" in Maldonado one will always return to this city. There must be some truth to this saying since the Department of Maldonado and Punta del Este in particular, receive thousands of visitors each year. The economy of this Department, with a surface area of 4705km2 and 122,000 inhabitants, is based primarily on the tourist and construction industry which generates the most important revenues for the country.
The first settlement of the city of Maldonado was located near the outlet of the Laguna del Diario in 1755. Two years later it was moved to its present location. Since then it has grown, transforming itself into a city with an intense commercial, cultural and sporting life, the center for various international events with a formidable infrastructure.
Maldonado played an important role in the years of conquest and emancipation. The "Torre del Vigia" and the "Cuartel de Dragones" the latter in which the national hero Jose Gervasio Artigas was sworn into the army, are legacies of these times. The Francisco Mazzoni Museum is filled with historical objects and trinkets. Built in 1782 in a colonial style , it is one of the oldest preserved buildings in the city.
Uruguay has been defined by some as the Cote d' Azur of South America. Punta del Este is undoubtedly responsible for this compliment not only because of its unspoiled and sandy white beaches or its forests of pines and eucalyptus, but also because man knew how to create a city where architecture merges perfectly with nature.
Punta del Este is a small peninsula that advances upon the ocean and separates geographically the Rio de la Plata from the Atlantic Ocean. This gives it the particularity of having two beachfronts: one of calm waters, "Playa Mansa" and one of rough waters, "Playa Brava". Both options are close enough to permit one to enjoy them on the same day.
Hard working and visionary pioneers gave birth to the "Puntaesteno" style Pedro Risso , Antonio Mrak and his wife, the Cavallo brothers, Madame Pitot, the Sader brothers, amongst others. The aura of fantasy was added to their work by the eccentric family Giot de Badet and the legendary Emir Arslan. In the decade of the 50's it was Mauricio Litman and his wife Blanca who opened up Punta del Este to International cinema festivals and sumptuous parties at the Cantegril-Country Club. In this fashion from the beginning of the century to the present date Punta del Este has maintained its exclusiveness and sophistication.
The principal street, qorlero, is bordered by palm trees around which the touristic and commercial life of the peninsula revolves. Some of the houses built around the lighthouse are the oldest in the area. The majority are low dwellings that were built to preserve the original style. The church of "La Candelaria" built in 1945a is a reminder of the name that Solis used to baptize the bay. The lighthouse was built in 1860 in front of the church and rises to a height of 43 meters.
At present the streets of the peninsula abound with elegant restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, banks, cinemas, shopping centers and galleries as well as hotels and apartments buildings the center is the "Plaza Arugas". The principal plaza is the site of the crafts fair. The port of Punta del Este is exclusively used by leisure or recreational crafts of small or medium size. Every summer season and sometimes off-season, the harbor of Punta del Este is the port of call for important inter-national regattas, that leave their imprint of color and movement on the bay. The international Whitbread Regatta has two stops of call in Punta del Este as does the BOC , the solitary navigators challenge and the Regatta of Rio de la Plata organized, as amongst others, by the Yacht Club of Punta del Este which is located on the ports esplanade.
Boats of greater size, generally luxury ocean liners, are occasional visitors to the bay-dropping anchor off the coast of the island of Gorriti. The island is inevitably linked to the history and landscape of Punta del Este and lies about 2km off the coast. At first it was called "Island of the Palms" because of its lush natural vegetation. Later it was called "Island of Maldonado" and only in 1771 was it called "Gorriti" in honor of Captain Fancisco Gorriti. This important figure of the 18th century was imprisoned there when the island was still used as a military base.
For centuries Gorriti Island was an important stopping spot for Spanish, English, North American, French and Dutch ships. In 1843 the Island was bought by the Lafone brothers.
The Uruguayan government bought back the island in 1880.
In front of the Island the famous battle of Punta del Este took place between the "Graf Spee" and the English ships during the Second World War. From off the coast, the people of Punta del Este could wit-ness the battle that ended in the victory by the "Ajax".
All along the coast nowadays, there are elegant buildings and apartment buildings that face the sea. To one side we have the Playa Mansa and towards the east we encounter the Playa Brava.
Bathers discovered the ocean once they had removed their wide-brimmed hats, long dresses, parasols and discreet bathing suits. Today, vacationers tend to choose the side of the coast where the sun emerges. Crossing Roosevelt Avenue you enter the District of San Rafael. Its name was taken from a Spanish shipwreck off the coast last century. The striking view of the "Hotel Casino San Rafael" stands out immediately it was built in 1942 in Tudor style and congresses, conferences and international events are held there.
All along the Brava promenade there are magnificent summerhouses and elegant low flats. The successive neighborhoods of "San Rafael", Golf and "Rincon del Indio" have some of the most beautiful houses of "Punta del Este". The gardens and parks of "Punta del Este" constitute a real pride for the city. English park designers invented their own style to circumscribe the pieces of land: small hills with bushes that combine different shades of green.
Over the pine trees and eucalyptus appears the tower of L'Auberge. It belongs to the hotel and tearoom with the same name and it was the water tower that supplied water to all the district of "San Rafael". The Cantegril Golf Club course is situated in the area. It is the oldest club of "Punta del Este", inaugurated in 1928.
Beverly Hills is a residential neighborhood which stretches opposite "EI Jaguel" Airport. It is so called for its magnificent mansions that, unlike the city with the same name, belong to magnates that visit the seaside resort for few days every year and that usually arrive to "EI Jaguel" in their private jets.
The sea horizon is lit by the lighthouse of the "Isla de Lobos", eight kilometers away from the coast. Surrounded by rocks and sandbanks - one of which, the islet, has a surface of two hectares - this island made of granite and sand has a layer of vegetable soil that gives life to ferns and gamine. Some exotic species such as acacias and tamarisks also survive. The dangerous ocean currents caused hundreds of shipwrecks in this area. The first lighthouse was built in 1858, but only in the period between 1876 and 1905 more than 60 shipwrecks occurred. The present lighthouse, built in 1907, is by its range the first of America and the third of the world. It began to run on electricity in 1958. Its height is 66 meters and it illuminates at a five - second interval with a reach of 25.5 miles.
The island is the habitat of one of the largest colonies of seals in the world. The two species that are found are the Arctocephalus Australis or two-haired seal, very much appreciated by its skin, and the Otaria Flavescons, one-haired seal or sea lion. Periodically seal cubs were slaughtered to avoid overpopulation. The killings were stopped five years ago which has caused an increase in the number of seals and it is common to see them making graceful pirouettes in the water from land.
Motorboats for passengers leave from the port of "Punta del Este" and go near the "Isla de Lobos", but there is no disembarkation in it.
Along the coast, by the parada 34, a path made of limestone descends towards one of the most frequented natural viewpoints, known as "La Gorgorita". From there, there is a wide panorama of "La Barra" on one side and the Peninsula on the other.
At night, the glittering stars, the illuminating phosphorescence of the waves beating against the rock~, the twinkling of the lighthouse of the "Isla de Lobos" and hundreds of lights shimmering in the water, dazzle one's gaze which is sheltered by the darkness.
The undulating bridge of "La Barra" was inaugurated in 1963 by a design of Leonel Viera Britos. Its picture, one of the most well known of this remarkable summer resort, arises deep feelings, inspiring Pablo Neruda who dedicated a beautiful poem to it. The curved bridge passes over the calm waters of the "Arroyo Maldonado" towards the picturesque town of "La Barra".
"La Barra was at the beginning a fishermen's hamlet, and even before that a legendary refuge for pirates. There is a story they tell about a famous treasure which included a silver Christ buried by the .pirate Francisco Tournier in one of the islands of the stream. Many adventurers set about looking for it in the subsequent centuries, until in 1888 an expedition of four men worked for three months in the area where others had failed. One day they disappeared stealthily without notifying the Captaincy of Punta del Este, leaving even their clothes behind in the launderette of the town. Traces found later on made people assume they had found the treasure. Immediately after crossing the bridge of "La Barra", the summer resort called The Treasure brings the episode to mind.
In the forties, the inhabitants of "San Carlos" started to build their small houses in "La Barra" and to develop a social life which ignored the course taken by "Punta del Este", so far-off, on the other side of the stream .
"La Barra" was rediscovered many years later by the foreign tourists, especially Argentineans who started to acquire properties to remodel or plots of land to build their houses.
Nowadays, with drinking water, electricity and plumbing, "La Barra" has not lost its "hamlet" appearance because most of its arteries continue being made of ballast and the constructions are low. Few families live here all year round. It is incredible how in summer time this small, calm and bright town changes with the swarming of tourists that come and go. "La Barra" is always young, and as such, charming and unstable. There is a continuous teeming of teenagers with their surfboards in the mornings and their motorbikes in the evenings; expensive four-wheel-drive vehicles ride along carrying colorful jet skis which' they will unload on the bank of the stream. This is so because the "Arroyo Maldonado" with its gentle swell is ideal for practicing all the water sports and for fishing.
The ruta 10 becomes a main attraction of nightlife: restaurants, pubs, shops, antique shops and art galleries are open until late at night.
Something which is characteristic of "La Barra" is its colorful buildings. Yellows, grays, pinks, and blue-violets in pastel colors alternate with the purity of the white on walls and facades. All the architectural styles combine and blend into a colorful whole, all of them being of excellent taste. Stonewalls, brick facades or whitewashed walls; gable roof made of tiles, of corrugated iron or the traditional Uruguayan thatched roof; cane, wooden or concrete pergolas.
The restaurant "La Posta del Cangrejo" stands out. It is a pleasant Mediterranean building facing the sea where figures like Omar Shariff and Julio Iglesias have stayed, and it is frequently venue for business meetings.
In the last fifteen years a new style for spending the summer holidays became popular with the so called "chacras maritimas" (coastai farmhouses).
Pioneer in this was the division into lots of Miramar Acres, where important Argentinean figures like "Pacha" Canton, Jorge Britos, Federico Alves Castillos, Jose Luis Clerc and Raul Lecouna have built their elegant country houses. In order to prevent the construction of buildings in the area, the neighbors of the rural area of "La Barra" and "Manantrales" formed the "Sociedad Rural Cerro Eguzquiza" "Reserva Natural" .
The rugged and undulating landscape of the Ruta 14 which links "La Barra" with "San Carlos" gives the tourist the opportunity to enjoy this style in the comfortable inn "La Manzanera" belonging to Enrique L6pez Castilla. The Golf Club of "La Barra", a private establishment which dates from 1994 with an elegant Clubhouse and a golf course of 18 holes, designed by Emilio Serra and Marcos Cadepont is situated in the same route.
The end of "La Barra" has a well-defined border: the ruta 10 descends and turns until it opens once again to the coast, where there is a succession of wide beaches suitable for practicing surf, a few private clubs and a series of elegant housing complexes amongst which stands out the "Hotel Las Dunas".
The seaside resort "Manantiales" still preserves a primitive style of low and simple houses. The only construction that stands out faces the coast: the complex "Terrazas de Manantiales".
Further on is "EI Chorro". Both names make reference to a spring of fresh water that descends in that place and suppies all the area.
It is amazing to see on top of a group of rocks a dozen of luxurious mansions that surround the sea some of which cost over two million dollars. "Punta Piedras" emerged some very few years ago when its rocky place caressed by the foam of the sea captiv2ited famous businessmen, mostly Argentinean, who decided to build their houses here. These mansions remain deserted all year round or are looked after by caretakers until the owners arrive in their private jets to enjoy them.
Some of them were built combining characteristic elements of the coastai constructions of United States and England and have the special feature that they merge into the landscape due to the pastel tones of the sun, the clouds, the rocks and the sea. Others are more modern, like Perka, built by the architect Ravazzani, whose high stonewalls support an enormous window that faces the sea. More to the East, the ruta Interbalnearia leads to a group of dunes, native and exotic vegetation, always accompanied by the intense blue of the ocean. The Medellin Polo Club is situated in the vicinities, and it is ran by Carlos Busquet, who organizes international events of the exclusive equestrian sport.
On the road of the entrance to Jos6 Ignacio, the "Club Santa Maria de los Medanos" occupies a vast piece of land which ends in the beach, with summerhouses and a superb Clubhouse reminiscent of the Norman style.
The lighthouse, built in 1877, was the reference point for the first fishermen who daily visited the lighthouse keepers who were in charge of lighting the lamps with querosene. It has a height of 32.5 meters and a lighting reach of 9 miles. The life of this small town grew around its lighthouse, so much so that the complete name of this smail seaside resort is "Faro de Jose Ignacio".
Situated in a small end that advances towards the ocean, this wild and primitive place in which until not long ago the "wear carrier" still existed, continues having the sand and the sea as its main characters. The main square, around which the police station, the church and few real estate agencies and restaurants stand, show the preference for a familiar and informal lifestyle. However, the properties have increased a lot their value, precisely because the demand for "peace" is high. Several cozy restaurants and teashops offer a delicate gastronomy based on seafood. The good taste and the harmony with the environment led the architects to adapt the fishermen's buts into summerhouses. Some famous figures like the Argentinean actress Mirtha Legrand or the businesswoman Amalia Fortabat bet on the peace of Jos6 Ignacio building their houses there.
The " Laguna del Diario" saw the creation of the town of Maldonado and in "Las Piedras del Chileno" disembarked the English who assaulted the territory in 1806. On this coast Viceroy Cevallos ordered that two defense batteries be built, which fired with those situated in the "Isla Gorriti", and many years later, in this calm bay Punta del Este's summer resort life began. It was not dangerous to venture some strokes in its waters and those superb baths christened the place with the name "Las Delicias". Here had been the mill of the Cavallos and the first important pier that received goods and passengers. Here Enrique Burnett, Great Britain's consult planted pines and eucalyptus along the coastal strip, perhaps having the intuitive feeling that many years later the fragrant shade would shelter a charming group of houses with thatched roofs.
The wooded neighborhood of Pinares lies over the west, on the "Laguna del Diario", which is separated from the sea by the ruta "Interbalnearia". There, the colorful sails of the windsurfers unfurl in summer. Passing the "Laguna del Diario" towards Montevideo, the road bends in and out of dense forests. On the coast, where in days gone by was the "Hospital Maritimo", the towers of an international hotel will soon rise. Perhaps it is the first of many others that will face the wide strip of solitary beaches that win the sea towards the west.
Some private houses are hidden in the foliage or they stand out in the first line facing the dunes, with no asphalt separating them from the sea. Life is enjoyed in close contact with nature and in the absence of watching eyes. At a short distance, the sea becomes slightly rougher m the place called "Las Grutas", on the eastern side of the peninsula of "La Ballena".
When one climbs the small hill of "La Ballena", a sublime sight of hills, beaches, forest and sea appears before one's eyes. A road in zigzag leads to the peninsula and finishes in an esplanade which faces the sea. A landscape embodying a concentrated beauty gets us immersed in silence. Some meters away rises the infinite whiteness of "Casapueblo", "la Casa del spontaneously", without plans nor prior project, as if playing with shapes. It is a craftsmanship done by the artist Carlos Paez Vilaro and a group of locals and fishermen - none of them architects - who helped him with the job of overcoming the difficulty of "the straight line without using a blumb line, nor a level and using the concept of a bread oven".
Each space, tunnel or corridor bears the name of some famous writer or artist: the alley of Jorge Luis Borges; the long corridor of Jorge Amado; the street of Horacio Quiroga, the bow of Salvador Dali. Long and winding stairs lead to The Suicide's Corner. The Sultan's bed, the Maharaja's Shop.
The arboretum lussich is situated over the hill of "La Ballena". The 193 hectares which make up this forest reserve are a result of the dream of one man, Antonio Lussich, who in 1896 bought that desert made of rock and sand to plant more than 350 tree species from every part of the world. The miracle of this forest is revealed when one sees the roots see in the rock. The old house of Lussich is now a museum and has testimonies of his life who, in addition, was a very good writer and director of one of the most important ship rescuing companies. To the west, of "Punta Ballena "wide beaches of very thin sand and gentle swell are frequented by windsurf and jet ski lovers. It is the area of Portezuelo", sheltered by the wind and famous for its marvelous sunsets which lots of people go punctually to see. The hot evenings can continue until nightfalls, when darkness reveals the glittering of the starts. The side of the hill of "La Ballena" is full of terraced balconies of magnificent buildings, whilst the gardens and parks of elegant mansions blessed with one of the most desired sights of the region peter out on the beach. Amongst them is the house of the businessman of the Argentinean television. Alejandro Romay, and the owner of the newspaper "La Razon", of Buenos Aires. Carlos Spadone. On the other side of the "ruta Interbalnearia", the complex Solanas Forest Resort combines picturesque buildings for time-sharing with an infrastructure of services that rivals with the tourist resorts of the Caribbean.
The Club del lago situated to the east of the lagoon in an area of dunes and pine forests organizes international golf tournaments, amongst which the tournament of professionals which gets together important figures of the world stands out each summer.
The Laguna del Sauce, the main water supply reserve of Maldonado, has a surface of 5000 hectares and the System of Coastal Lagoons of the Eastern side of Uruguay starts here. These mirrors of water some-times connect to the sea through a sandy bank which opens periodically and they are the habitat of various aquatic fauna. In addition they are really beautiful places. Facing the "Laguna del Sauce" there are sever-al houses which overlook the west. Amongst them is the house of the Uruguayan actor Carlos Perciavalle and of the plastic artist Nicolas Uriburu.
Between the lagoon and the "ruta Interbalnearia" is the International Airport of "Laguna del Sauce", beside the Aeronautic Headquarters. At present the airport is being expanded with a new run-way apt for the landing of intercontinental flights and with an aerial terminal of 10000m2 built one kilometer away from the present one.
The hills "Aconcagua", "Las Cumbres de la Gloria", "Escondido" and "de los Zorros" constitute a wild site which is also dotted with magnificent small farms, real view points from where there is a landscape of such charm that one is awed by it: the ocean, the lagoons, Punta del Este, Maldonado, San Carlos and the hills of Piriapolis.
The "horseshoe" city, the name given to Piriapolis for its shape, was imagined and given impetus by an audacious man of dominant character who, at the beginning of the century decided to be the architect of a European style summer resort. Francisco Piria, a Uruguayan brought up in Italy; bought these lands which combine hills, forests and the sea and built excessively luxurious hotels, one of which still exists today: the incredible Argentio Hotel. The Promenade, the Port and several sites like the "Fuente del Toro", the "Templo de Venus" and the "Castillo de Pina" are testimonies of an epoch of splendor when Piriapolis was the most sophisticated summer resort of America.
"San Carlos" is characteristic for its culture and for the pride the Carolinians maintains their lifestyle. It was the first town of the interior of the country, found-ed in 1763. Figures such as Cayetano Silva, famous writer of the "Marcha de San Lorenzo" were born here. The church of "San Carlos de Borromeo", first opened in 1792, was designed in romantic style in a latin cross shape. Three arcades at the front end in two towers and incrusted at the top of the facade some plates of Talavera ceramic can be seen. They are the same ones used in the inauguration banquet of the temple more than two hundred years ago.
The Aigua Mountains with the Salamanca caves represent a unique site in the whole country for their beauty. Every year this city organizes the Wild Boar Festival, a popular hunting party of an animal of free hunt in Uruguay.
The department of Maldonado has, in short, incomparable natural and human resources to show the world. This fairy-Lale bay has not revealed all about it yet.
