Montevideo, Latin American epicenter of 'déco' architecture

enlarge photo cova fdez.

When

returned to Montevideo

in 1984

after eight years in exile, such an agglomeration awaited him that it took him seven hours to get home.

Excited, the artist and activist said he hoped he would never have to leave again.

He died five years later, but his wish was granted;

is still here.

In a figurative sense (a sculpture remembers him in the

Tres Cruces

, a concert hall bears his name) and, above all, emotionally, since his presence in the collective memory is increasing, as the documentary about his figure

of Melina Terribili, or the validity of her songs.

It is impossible not to evoke them when stepping on "this serene sea on a stormy sky", just as it is impossible not to evoke the watercolors

that Barradas painted from a distance or poems by Idea Vilariño.

The Uruguayan capital is a city so linked to artistic creation that 24 hours give you just an idea.

9.00.

Damon Albarn's crush

In the Plaza de la Independencia, the

, from 1928, makes you look up and recall its history, inseparable from that of its twin, the Palacio Barolo in Buenos Aires;

both by Mario Palanti, with a

very eclectic

and, yes, exaggerated.

Damon Albarn was so captivated that it served as the cover for his

.

Its neighbor is the

(from 1929, Isola y Armas project)

, purely

.

Closer to the Sarandí pedestrian street, pay attention to

, from 1958, by Raúl Sichero, who also has a brother (the Panamericano) on Buceo beach.

Rationalist and functional architecture that has become a postcard of the city.

Opened in 2005, the Gurvich Museum offers a retrospective of the painter (in the photo, 'Three musicians in primary colors'; 1968), as well as courses, concerts and other activities.

ALAMY

10.00.

Three stops with lots of art

In addition to buildings that synthesize the keys of the

as the

(1929, by J. Herrán and L. Crespi, with sculptural details by Laborde) or the

(1938, by A. Nin), in the Old City there are three museums that showcase the talent of

, Pedro Figari and José Gurvich.

The first forged his work in Montevideo, Barcelona and Paris, and is one of the most decisive artists of the 20th century and a promoter of constructive art.

The permanent collection (torresgarcia.org.uy), still closed due to the pandemic, gives an account of his creative stages, his theoretical teachings or his friendship with Mondrian.

(museofigari.gub.uy)

, the greatest figure in American Impressionism, also established himself in Paris and painted scenes from the most popular Montevideo.

"His work - rescue of delicate moments, recovery of old festivals, so happy - prefers happy colors", wrote about his work Borges.

The visit to

is a high-flying visual experience.

Jewish and of Lithuanian origin, Gurvich was an outstanding student of Torres García and captured the humble Montevideo of Villa del Cerro with extraordinary sensitivity.

12.00.

A history of tango

The

and

bookstores

are as good shelters as

, with views of the mythical

(Calle de la Reconquista, s / n).

Behind him stands out the

, by Rafael Lorente Escudero, designed after learning about the work of Le Corbusier in Europe in 1966, and in which the straight line and the horizontal curve coexist harmoniously.

Nearby is the new

(cinemateca.org.uy) together with the renovated

, a historical tango; both from LAPS studio.

14.00.

Chivito to eat

The Puerta de la Ciudadela and, in the background, the Palacio Salvo.

ALAMY

The Ronda Café (12)

(Ciudadela, 1182) is always conducive to a technical stop.

The best gateway to the South neighborhood is the

by Rafael Ruano (1934), the prow of a ship on the banks of the Rambla.

A notice for sailors that whispers to the traveler: "You are in one of the cities where the

movement is best appreciated

which transformed architecture between the 1920s and 1940s."

For dining, a popular option is the centennial Galician tavern

(Paraguay, 1150), which preserves the worn beauty of the tiles.

If you can't resist it, you always have to eat a chivito —a typical meat sandwich from the country— in

, like a good native.

Or go to the Montevideo

good, nice, cheap), second home of Mario Benedetti, who lived upstairs.

This neighborhood is also the cradle of Afro-Uruguayan culture.

In the

(Zelmar Michelini, 1080) the candombe was born —the rhythm of drums in motion—, and a mural by Carlos Páez Vilaró remembers it.

enlarge photo Silhouette of the Palacio Salvo, in Montevideo.

getty images

17.00.

New York illusion

The

certifies that here too the

a field of experimentation and integrated blacksmithing, carpentry or bronze decoration.

For example, the

, by Juan Aubriot, or the

also by Ruano-, an illusion of a New York skyscraper with an infinity of decorative elements.

The journey to the Malvín neighborhood will allow you to observe more contemporary buildings such as the

, by Román Fresnedo Siri, a prodigy of simplicity and sobriety in its facade of Artigas Boulevard and a visual and vibrant interior with a patio, pond and amphitheater.

Or the

, by Julio Vilamajó, another illustrious of Uruguayan architecture.

It is convenient to go through the

(Doctor Luis Alberto de Herrera, 1290), the work of Eladio Dieste, and pay attention to the corner of Luis Lamas and Julio César, where the historic

the architect Óscar Peyrou , a shining example of rationalism recently saved from demolition.

The Experimental School awaits in Malvín, a masterpiece by JA Scasso, architect of the Centennial Stadium

19.00.

Dusk at Malvín beach

In Malvín awaits the masterpiece of JA Scasso (also guilty of the Centennial Stadium, which has given so many joys to the country): the

(Doctor Decroly, 4971), a stellar building, projected in 1928 under the expressionist doctrine of Erich Mendelsohn.

Aerodynamic functionality of great volumetric richness.

While deciding which grill to have dinner at (

or

never fail), by

the clarity stretches the day and brings songs like memories of sand.

From Zitarrosa, who lived two blocks from here her last years, and, of course, from Fernando Cabrera, who has sung the most to this city in which "there is no berth that can dissolve what we were in its hiding place."

Find inspiration for your next trips on our Facebook and Twitter and Instagram or subscribe here to the El Viajero Newsletter.