A Relatively young city founded in 1726 as a military outpost to keep the Portuguese from advancing through South America, Montevideo is a cauldron of cultures seasoned with the tales of its first European inhabitans and whose native traditions are also well worth savoring.
It is a natural port, with nearby beaches; a hill located on the west side of the bay used to spot the passage of enemy galleon; and extensive, hilly prairies suitable for growing a variety of crops.
From there the city, first populated by 30 families of colonist arriving from the Canary Islands and Galicia, grew an expanded.
The strategic location of the port and the boom in cattle farming led to intense commercial activity. Since the city monopolized the trade of slaves destined for the rest of South America, businesses linked to the sea trade flourished.
Around 1880, Europeans owned more than half of the property within and surrounding the city. Ranches, mills, salting houses, shacks and warehouses sprung up, supported by the labor of thousands of immigrants who had arrived in waves since 1800.
Traces of this mixture of cultures and lifestyles can be found today in each and every corner of Montevideo.
