El Día del Patrimonio 2025
- Jack Richards
- Oct 7, 2025
- 2 min read
Knowing the day was coming, I watched for the program vigilantly. But like many things in laisser-faire Uruguay, the official website had a link to 2024's program until just about a week ago when the new list was finally released—a PDF without the ability to filter or sort but at least this year they included page breaks between neighborhoods.
This year's theme was the country's bicentennial which meant most anything and everything qualified to be part of the Heritage Weekend.
I scanned the pages and made a list of my top sites. I shared it with friends, added a few sites and made a game plan for the weekend. Saturday was a lovely spring day with sun and fresh air. The city felt so alive (Día del Patrimonio is one of the most popular events here, especially with good weather)! Sunday however fell prey to Uruguayan's worst nightmare... rain...
Day 1
Austin and I completed about 21,000 steps, starting the morning at ambassadors' homes on one end of town and ending the day with a rooftop party at the tip of Ciudad Vieja and many stops along the way.
Started at the Spanish Ambassador's Residence I see Poseidon holding up mustache marionettes... The British ambassador's residence only permitted photos in the garden But what a great garden it is, and good use of wine bottles! Featuring my favorite cars... Although the leg room leaves a lot to be desired House > surveillance & torture building during the dictatorship > Institute of Human Rights Original plan of the house Architectural intervention (purifying the house?) Watching The supreme court (just walking by this year) Franca: becoming a DdP tradition Museo Subte dimmed to showcase AI art Watching the watcher Archivo General de la Nación French Embassy Going up! Recently restored ornamentation above the grand staircase of the French Embassy Painstaking detail! Skylight: color and decoration Skylight: function and utility A look at the pre-restoration state of the building Lions and Lions and Lions, oh my The most people we've ever seen in Plaza Independencia Traditions from the interior Unfortunately entry to Palacio Salvo was already booked for the day Old buses Young passengers Catedral Metropolitana de Montevideo & Consulado Turquía Also the busiest we've ever seen the pedestrian street Rooftop of the Mercado del Puerto with the Navy yard in the distance Sunset party to end Day 1 Fin
Day 2
The best made plans are no match for the Uruguayan's hatred of rain... We woke up to a storm but by 11:00 it had passed and I had hope for the day. But as clouds rolled back in, two of the sites on my list were closed, and without public notice or alert (as if we should just know that rain=closure). But I still managed to check some things off the list and enjoy a day of exploration.
Built as a hotel, this beach front edifice now hosts MERCOSUR and other international organizations While many details were stripped during a period of abandonment, the tile floor fortunately remains Ceiling detail with impressive integration of AC into the cornets Modern back entrance added when the building was retrofit Modern ceiling detail of the hotel's former dining room Art Nouveau mirror details with a reflection of the Rambla and river beyond Central garden at the Facultad de Arquitectura, Diseño y Urbanismo Nature and architecture at play Heavy drafting tables, heavier ideas Such comfortable chairs for future architects... Homage to one of Uruguay's most famous artists The presidential house was closed so here's a photo of its neighbor... Sociedad De Islas Canarias showcasing Canary Island influence on Uruguayan Culture Nature finds a way Former building at Hospital Vilardebó, the original mental hospital of Montevideo Art made from reused materials by the present day patients 10,000 Toothpick Diana Pepe to end the day!
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