Plaza Independencia

After the demolition of the fortifications of the colonial city, after affirming independence, the walled city became an open city. For this reason, in 1837 the Ciudad Nueva ("New City") was designed, in which the architect Carlo Zucchi drew Independence Square, inspired by the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. During the 19th century, the square was positioned as a center of importance for the country, since the Estévez Palace, seat of the Uruguayan Government was erected there.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-09 |title=Plaza Independencia {{!}} Municipio B |url=https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/node/228 |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809035728/https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/node/228 |archive-date=2022-08-09 }}

File:Plaza Independencia - 01419FMHGE.tif

At the beginning of the 20th century, French landscape architect Carlos Thays was in charge of the landscape design of the space, which until then had remained completely empty.{{Cite web |title= |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801000000*/https://municipioe.montevideo.gub.uy/node/200 |access-date=2022-12-31 }} Thays designed four French-inspired flower beds with fountains and greenery, and planted his signature palm trees. In 1923, during the administration of President Baltasar Brum, a monument to General José Gervasio Artigas was inaugurated, which consists of a 17-meter bronze equestrian statue with a granite base sculpted by Angelo Zanelli.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=El monumento a Artigas en la Plaza Independencia {{!}} Centro de Fotografía de Montevideo |url=https://cdf.montevideo.gub.uy/fotografias/el-monumento-artigas-en-la-plaza-independencia |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316085651/https://cdf.montevideo.gub.uy/fotografias/el-monumento-artigas-en-la-plaza-independencia |archive-date=2022-03-16 }}

On September 27, 1974, during the civil-military dictatorship, the creation of an underground mausoleum under the square for the remains of Artigas was approved. These had remained in the National Pantheon of the Central Cemetery since 1972, when they arrived in Uruguay from Paraguay –place of his death in 1850–.{{Cite web |title=Artigas |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/a/artigas.html |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=NHHC |language=en-US}} The mausoleum, which was the work of the architects Lucas Ríos Demalde and Alejandro Morón, consists of two wide granite stairs that go down to an underground room where the urn with the remains of José Artigas was installed; a granite mastaba behind the monument located above the urn functions as a skylight. It was finally inaugurated and opened to the public on June 19, 1977, the anniversary of his birth, and a national holiday in Uruguay.{{Cite web |date=2012-10-29 |title=El día que Artigas volvió a la plaza - Diario EL PAIS - Montevideo - Uruguay |url=http://www.elpais.com.uy/121027/pciuda-672191/ciudades/el-dia-que-artigas-volvio-a-la-plaza/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029003349/http://www.elpais.com.uy/121027/pciuda-672191/ciudades/el-dia-que-artigas-volvio-a-la-plaza/ |archive-date=2012-10-29 }} The site has a permanent honor guard from its body of soldiers (Cuerpo de Blandengues), the first in which Artigas served.{{Cite web |date=2017-02-26 |title=Los soldados azules de Artigas |url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/los-soldados-azules-de-artigas |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=EL PAIS |language=en}} The changing of the guard is a major ceremony and tourist attraction.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-25 |title=Mausoleo {{!}} Municipio B |url=https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/node/3298 |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625024010/https://municipiob.montevideo.gub.uy/node/3298 |archive-date=2022-06-25 }}

{{Wide image|Montevideo Décembre 2007 - Plaza de Armas 2.jpg|1000px|A 360-degree view of Independence Square in 2007}}Surrounding the square are the Gateway of the Citadel and the beginning of the Peatonal Sarandí pedestrian street to the west, and the Palacio Salvo to the east.{{Cite web |date=2019-07-03 |title=Palacio Salvo {{!}} Intendencia de Montevideo. |url=https://montevideo.gub.uy/ciudad-y-cultura/agenda-cultural/lugares/palacio-salvo |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703012050/https://montevideo.gub.uy/ciudad-y-cultura/agenda-cultural/lugares/palacio-salvo |archive-date=2019-07-03 }} Also on the east is the beginning of 18 de Julio Avenue, the most important road in the city.{{Cite web |date=2021-07-16 |title=18 de Julio: la historia de la principal avenida de Montevideo |url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/domingo/18-de-julio-la-historia-de-la-principal-avenida-de-montevideo |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=EL PAIS |language=en}} To the south west is the Solís Theatre, while the Executive Tower and the Estévez Palace, both seats of the Executive Branch, are to the south, and the Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza is to the north.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=Reserve una habitación de hotel en Montevideo, Uruguay {{!}} Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza Hotel |url=https://www.radissonhotelsamericas.com/es-xl/hoteles/radisson-montevideo-victoria-plaza |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212063010/https://www.radissonhotelsamericas.com/es-xl/hoteles/radisson-montevideo-victoria-plaza |archive-date=2022-12-12 }}

Since 2010, the square has been used for presidential inaugurations for the transfer of the presidential sash, because it is a nerve center of the city and is located in front of the Executive Tower, the president's workplace.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-24 |title=Comenzó a construirse en la Plaza Independencia el estrado donde se realizará la ceremonia de traspaso de mando - Teledoce.com |url=https://www.teledoce.com/telemundo/nacionales/comenzo-a-construirse-en-la-plaza-independencia-el-estrado-donde-se-realizara-la-ceremonia-de-traspaso-de-mando/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224151041/https://www.teledoce.com/telemundo/nacionales/comenzo-a-construirse-en-la-plaza-independencia-el-estrado-donde-se-realizara-la-ceremonia-de-traspaso-de-mando/ |archive-date=2020-02-24 }} However, the swearing in of both the President and the Vice President takes place in the Legislative Palace.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-10 |title=Luis Lacalle Pou y Beatriz Argimón juraron como presidente y vicepresidenta de la República {{!}} Uruguay Presidencia |url=https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/fotos/luis-lacalle-pou-beatriz-argimon-juraron-presidente-vicepresidenta-republica |access-date=2022-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220310072952/https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/fotos/luis-lacalle-pou-beatriz-argimon-juraron-presidente-vicepresidenta-republica |archive-date=2022-03-10 }}File:Montevideo plaza independencia.jpg]]

In May and June 2009 an exhibition of the "United Buddy Bears" was held in the square, for the second on the American continent.{{cite web |url=http://www.elpais.com.uy/especiales/galerias/vergaleria.asp?gal_id=532 |title=Montevideo 2009 |publisher=Elpais.com.uy |accessdate=2012-02-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223233158/http://www.elpais.com.uy/especiales/galerias/vergaleria.asp?gal_id=532 |archivedate=2012-02-23 }}{{cite web|title=The United Buddy Bears Arrive on the Plaza Independencia in Montevideo|url=http://www.buddy-baer.com/meta-navi/news/news-details/archive/2009/may/article/the-united-buddy-bears-arrive-on-the-plaza-independencia-in-montevideo.html?tx_ttnews%5Bday%5D=11&cHash=7c6364d1d8ccaf086224aa630565a74d|website=United Buddy Bears|accessdate=7 June 2017}}

Plaza Independencia is the starting point of the {{Language with name/for|es|Marcha de la Diversidad|Diversity March}}, an annual pride parade celebrating the LGBTQ community in Uruguay.{{Cite web |last=Grupo 180 |title=Marcha por la Diversidad comenzará a las 19 horas |url=https://www.180.com.uy/articulo/64530_marcha-por-la-diversidad-comenzara-a-las-19-horas |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=www.180.com.uy |language=es-UY}}

• The square is featured in the 2009 short film Ataque de pánico!, directed by Fede Álvarez, where square and a large part of the city of Montevideo is destroyed by giant robots and spacecraft.{{Cite web |title=Fede Álvarez busca el nuevo Ataque de pánico |url=https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/fede-alvarez-busca-el-nuevo-ataque-de-panico-2016823500 |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=El Observador}}{{Cite web |title=Ataque de pánico en Montevideo (by Fede Álvarez y Paris Texas). |url=https://infonegocios.biz/plus/ataque-de-panico-en-montevideo-by-fede-alvarez-y-paris-texas |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=infonegocios.biz}}
• In 2010 the square was a filming location for a Lipton commercial, starring Hugh Jackman,{{Cite web |date=2010-10-07 |title=Hugh Jackman convulsionó Montevideo |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/espectaculos/hugh-jackman-convulsiono-montevideo-nid1312539/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=LA NACION |language=es}} where dance group performed a musical choreography in front of the Gateway of the Citadel and other parts of the Ciudad Vieja.{{Cite web |last=historico.espectador.com |title=Hugh Jackman dio un toque de alegría en Plaza Independencia |url=http://historico.espectador.com/cultura/194502/hugh-jackman-dio-un-toque-de-alegria-en-plaza-independencia |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=HISTORICO.ESPECTADOR.COM |date=6 October 2010 |language=es}}
• Plaza Independencia appears in a 2014 Ministry of Transport and Public Works commercial to raise awareness about road safety.{{Cite web |title=Por la seguridad vial |url=https://www.telenoche.com.uy/nacionales/por-la-seguridad-vial |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Telenoche |language=es-PA}} The announcement indicates that during 2013 in Uruguay more people died in traffic accidents than in the 2010 earthquake in Chile, and features the square being destroyed by a large earthquake.{{Cite web |title=Campaña de seguridad vial del MTOP |url=https://www.gub.uy/presidencia/comunicacion/fotos/campana-seguridad-vial-del-mtop |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Uruguay Presidencia |language=es}}
• In 2019 the space was used to shoot the Netflix series, Conquest, produced by Keanu Reeves.{{Cite web |date=2019-09-03 |title=Plaza Independencia será escenario principal de rodaje internacional |url=https://montevideo.gub.uy/noticias/institucional/plaza-independencia-sera-escenario-principal-de-rodaje-internacional |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Intendencia de Montevideo. |language=es}} The benches, bushes and traffic signs had to be removed and the adjoining streets painted, while the production lasted, which fenced off the perimeter of the square for several days.{{Cite web |date=2019-09-11 |title=Así sacan el césped de la Plaza Independencia para la producción de Keanu Reeves |url=https://www.elpais.com.uy/tvshow/series/asi-sacan-el-cesped-de-la-plaza-independencia-para-la-produccion-de-keanu-reeves |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=EL PAIS |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-11-26 |title=Desnudos, militares y neblina: así fue el rodaje de la mega producción de Netflix en Montevideo |url=https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/asi-comenzo-la-mega-produccion-de-netflix-en-la-plaza-independencia-2019914141713 |access-date=2023-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126221853/https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/asi-comenzo-la-mega-produccion-de-netflix-en-la-plaza-independencia-2019914141713 |archive-date=2021-11-26 }}

• List of city squares in Montevideo

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• {{Commons category-inline|Plaza Independencia, Montevideo|Plaza Independencia}}

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Category:Squares in Montevideo

Category:Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo