SALTO

About Salto

Some historians claim that Salto was formed by the arrivals of the Portuguese, but there is another thesis, which states that Viana, the governor, was its founder, in 1757.

In 1837, this province is separated from the province of Paysandu, and 50 years later, it is separated from Artigas.

Its economy was based on cattle rising. Most of this people were immigrants, especially Italians. Salto was a port, a frontier and had green pastures; these three elements gave the area a great impulse. The city grew at the rhythm of the steamboats, which sailed on the river Uruguay.

The railway brought an important group of British people, and later, Jews, Spaniards and French followed them.

This immigration brought progress and culture to this city where important personalities were born: Feliciano Viera, Baltasar Brum, Horacio Quiroga, Enrique Amorim.

Private and pubic institutions offer the inhabitants of this city a good education. There are public schools, high schools, specialized centers and the Northern Republic University.

Salto occupies an area of 14.359,1 Km2, with a population of about 118.200 inhabitants, 70% of them live in the capital city. Tradition is important to the locals, that is why they have preserved with great pride the old houses, the ancient patios with their railings, and its past history and culture.

Uruguay St. is the main street in Salto; it is about twenty blocks. All along this street the visitor's spaces like squares, - "Plaza Artigas and Plaza Treinta y Tres" - where elegant palm trees give shade to the visitors. Opposite the square stands the dome of the church, "Iglesia del Carmen", with its neoclassic style. It was open to the public in 1855, and beside the church you will find the police station a new building which replaced the old one which dated back to the year 1862.

Other outstanding buildings are: the bus terminal, built by engineer Eladio Dieste, with its flying roof of 1000 m2, the palace of the offices, inaugurated in 1925, Gallino Palace with its art museum. The visitor to this museum can appreciate the works of art of famous painters, Carmelo de Arzadum, Jose Cuneo, Edmundo Prati, Montero Zorrilla, just to mention some of them.

In the Museum of Man and Technology, many of the machines used in the past are displayed, like "El Criollo", a railway, which was built in Salto. In the ground floor, is the Natural History Museum. Archaeological pieces call the attention of the visitors, remains of a glyptodont found in this area is displayed together with other archaeological findings.

The casino is near the port; best know as "Palacio Cordoba", it is believed that Urquiza built this castle for one of his women. The green coastline stretches along the banks of the river Uruguay for about 10 kms. From there you can go south to the park called "Mattos Netto", with its terrace overlooking the river and where the brick chimney which belonged to the "frigorifico La Conserva", still stands as a silence witness of past times. Three are two more parks, "Horacio Quiroga" and "Garcia Lorca" named after two famous writers.

Four kilometers south of this city, on the boulevard are beautiful residences "Arenitas Blancas", an attractive area especially for its colorful landscape. Two more parks have received the names of two traditional families, "Harriague Park", near the cemetery, and "Benito Solari" park in the north part of the city. Opposite the park id "Las Nubes", a colonial house which Enrique Amorim built for his mother and which was then donated to be used as a museum. Today, it is the historical museum "La Casona".

Large areas of forests are flooded two or three times a year, when the river Uruguay overflows its banks. Near Salto Grande there is a fishing village and a parador, this place is also used as a camping site.

Salto Grande provides energy for Uruguay and Argentine. The cam 69 meters high, by 39 meters over the fiver level has two engine rooms, interconnected and situated on the Uruguayans and Argentineans banks, which generate an average of 6.700 million of kilowatts per hour. Salto Grande received a price from the United Nations because of its low ecological impact. The economy of this province is based on five things: cattle rising, citrus, thermal centers, Salto Grande and the two largest industries: "el Espinillar", and "Cybaran".

Salto is famous for its production of citrus which are exported to different parts of the world. The sugar cane industry, "el Espinillar", which is administrated by Ancap, processes the sugar cane and gives life to the neighboring villages of Constitucion of Belen. "Cybaran" is an important meatpacking factory built on the same place where the salting house "La Caballada" stood.

The thermal baths are the attraction of the tourists, especially during the summer season. The thermal waters are rich in iodine, iron, calcium, magnesium and flour. The thermal baths of Arapey, are 80 kms to the north of the city. It is all there for the asking, bungalows, motels, camping sites, heated swimming pools, jaccusy, snack bars, and a magnificent park with lovely gardens. The thermal baths of Dayman are neat Salto; they offer the traveler modern buildings, restaurants, and swimming pools for adults and for children. The temperature of the water in these baths is 42 degrees. Due to Its geographical situation, Salto is in contact with three groups of different people: Argentineans, Brazilians and Uruguayans, its landscape, its culture, and the wise use of its natural resources gives Salto an outstanding position in the map of Uruguay.