Democracy Square
{{Short description|Road junction and public space in Uruguay}}
{{about|the plaza in Uruguay|the plaza in Lima|Democracy Square (Peru)}}
{{Infobox road junction|country=URU|road_type=street|name=Democracy Square|location=Montevideo, Uruguay|image=La_bandera_en_la_Plaza_de_la_Democracia.JPG|image_size=300px|image_caption=Monument to the flag located in the center of the square in 2013|roads=Italy Avenue, Artigas Boulevard and 8 de Octubre Avenue|type=Road junction and square|opened=1978|coord={{Coord|51|30|36|N|0|8|4|W|type:landmark_region:URU|display=inline,title}}}}
Democracy Square ({{Langx|es|Plaza de la Democracia}}) is a road junction and public space in the Tres Cruces neighbourhood of Montevideo, Uruguay.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-07 |title=Plaza Democracia {{!}} Montevideo accesible |url=https://accesibilidad.montevideo.gub.uy/content/plaza-democracia |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220607182637/https://accesibilidad.montevideo.gub.uy/content/plaza-democracia |archive-date=2022-06-07 }}
The square connects Italy Avenue, Artigas Boulevard and 8 de Octubre Avenue, which are three of the most important thoroughfares in the city, due to the large amount of traffic they receive as they are different entrance routes to the central business district.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-29 |title=IM ensanchará avenidas ante saturación de vehículos - El Diario - Ciudad |url=http://eldiario.com.uy/2012/03/26/ensancharan-avenidas/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529002955/http://eldiario.com.uy/2012/03/26/ensancharan-avenidas/ |archive-date=2020-05-29 }} Democracy Square, also known as {{Language with name/for|es|Plaza de la Bandera|Flag Square}} due to the flagpole at its center, is a busy meeting place as it is located across from the Tres Cruces bus station and mall, the main bus terminal in the country.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-23 |title=Más de 300 mil personas pasarán por la terminal Tres Cruces en las fiestas - 970 Universal |url=https://970universal.com/2022/12/23/mas-de-300-mil-personas-pasaran-por-la-terminal-tres-cruces-en-las-fiestas/ |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223170050/https://970universal.com/2022/12/23/mas-de-300-mil-personas-pasaran-por-la-terminal-tres-cruces-en-las-fiestas/ |archive-date=2022-12-23 }}
History
The square was inaugurated on December 15, 1978 by the civic-military regime, and was called {{Language with name/for|es|Plaza de la Nacionalidad Oriental|Oriental Nationality Square}}, and a flagpole with national flag was built on it.{{Cite web |title=Resolución N° 2564/978 |url=https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/resoluciones/2564-1978 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=www.impo.com.uy}} However, the underground tunnel located under the space, connecting 18 de Julio and 8 de Octubre avenues, had been inaugurated on July 18, 1961.{{Cite web |date=2013-09-14 |title=Wayback Machine |url=http://www.montevideo.gub.uy/sites/default/files/articulo/cronologia_0.pdf |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914063223/http://www.montevideo.gub.uy/sites/default/files/articulo/cronologia_0.pdf |archive-date=2013-09-14 }}
In 1985, with the end of the dictatorship, the name of the space was changed to its current.{{Cite web |title=Plaza de la Democracia inaugurada {{!}} Municipio CH |url=https://municipioch.montevideo.gub.uy/comunicacion/noticias/plaza-de-la-democracia-inaugurada |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=municipioch.montevideo.gub.uy}}
= Redevelopment =
In 2011, a competition for proposals was launched in order to redevelop the square; the judges of the competition were the architects Marcelo Danza, Francisco Fernández and Carlos López Quagliata.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-14 |title=Plaza de la Democracia {{!}} Patio {{!}} Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo {{!}} Udelar |url=http://www.fadu.edu.uy/patio/novedades/plaza-de-la-democracia.html |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314105843/http://www.fadu.edu.uy/patio/novedades/plaza-de-la-democracia.html |archive-date=2018-03-14 }} The one-year redevelopment works covered an area of 11,800 square meters, including the flag monument, paved spaces and green areas. The work involved the creation of a circular amphitheater −alluding to the Assembly of 1813 known as the "Congress of Tres Cruces"− with stands, the installation of a water fountain and a children's playground. In addition to a space for markets or exhibitions.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-14 |title=Inauguran remodelación de plaza de la Democracia {{!}} Intendencia de Montevideo. |url=http://www.montevideo.gub.uy/institucional/noticias/inauguran-remodelacion-de-plaza-de-la-democracia |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314105918/http://www.montevideo.gub.uy/institucional/noticias/inauguran-remodelacion-de-plaza-de-la-democracia |archive-date=2018-03-14 }}
The funds for the redevelopment were contributed by Gralado S.A. (concessionaire of the Terminal and Shopping Tres Cruces) in an agreement whereby the shopping center used the square as a parking lot during its expansion.{{Cite web |date=2014-10-02 |title=Reinauguran plaza de la Democracia o de la Bandera con una inversión de $ 42,5 millones |url=https://www.lr21.com.uy/comunidad/1197225-reinauguran-plaza-de-la-democracia-o-de-la-bandera-una-inversion-de-425-millones |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=LARED21 |language=es}} The inauguration took place on October 2, 2014.{{Cite web |title=Se reinauguró la plaza de la Democracia |url=https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Se-reinauguro-la-plaza-de-la-Democracia-uc248765 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=Montevideo Portal |language=es}}
Monuments
File:Luperca o Loba Capitolina.JPG
In addition to the flagpole with the flag, different monuments are located on the square. A sandblasted gray granite replica of the Capitoline Wolf was installed in December 1938.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-04 |title=Monumento La Loba Capitolina {{!}} Municipio B |url=https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/node/267 |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004003621/https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/node/267 |archive-date=2020-10-04 }} On May 18, 1943, a statue of Joaquín "Ansina" Lenzina made by José Belloni on a hammered gray granite base was inaugurated.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-17 |title=Ansina {{!}} Intendencia de Montevideo. |url=http://www.montevideo.gub.uy/ansina |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617024410/http://www.montevideo.gub.uy/ansina |archive-date=2018-06-17 }} However, it was transferred to Barrio Sur in 2020.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-26 |title=MONUMENTO A ANSINA {{!}} Municipio B |url=https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/monumento-ansina |access-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826154740/https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/monumento-ansina |archive-date=2022-08-26 }}
In 2017, a monument was inaugurated in homage to the victims of the civic-military dictatorship.{{Cite web |date=2017-06-27 |title=Inauguran monumento en honor a los desaparecidos en última dictadura uruguaya |url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/politica/20170628/423735776262/inauguran-monumento-en-honor-a-los-desaparecidos-en-ultima-dictadura-uruguaya.html |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=La Vanguardia |language=es}} The sculpture was a bronze representation of two kneeling people, hooded and with their hands tied behind their backs, and was created by the sculptor Rubens Fernández Tudurí in 1986.{{Cite web |date=2017-06-27 |title=Fue inaugurado el monumento Nunca Más |url=https://montevideo.gub.uy/institucional/noticias/fue-inaugurado-el-monumento-nunca-mas |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=Intendencia de Montevideo. |language=es |archive-date=2022-12-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221228074953/https://montevideo.gub.uy/institucional/noticias/fue-inaugurado-el-monumento-nunca-mas |url-status=dead }}
Events
The space has been used for different events, tributes, demonstrations and political rallies. Among the events are the homage to the "fallen in defense of democratic institutions" in their fight against the Tupamaros guerrillas,{{Cite web |date=2022-04-14 |title=Piden retomar el acto oficial en homenaje a los caídos en defensa de las instituciones |url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/politica/piden-retomar-el-acto-oficial-en-homenaje-a-los-caidos-en-defensa-de-las-instituciones |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=EL PAIS |language=en}} and the campaign closing ceremony for the referendum on the law of urgent consideration of the Multicolor Coalition.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=Coalición realizó acto de cierre de la campaña por el "NO" en Montevideo |url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/politica/coalicion-realizo-acto-de-cierre-de-la-campana-por-el-no-en-montevideo |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=EL PAIS |language=en}}
References
External links
- [https://municipioch.montevideo.gub.uy/node/238 Plaza de la Democracia on the Municipality website]