The history of Colonia del Sacramento is surely one of the most fascinating of the Rio de la Plata.

Ordered by the Lisbon Court, Manuel Lobo an important Portuguese military, founded this city at the beginning of 1680 in San Gabriel peninsula over an extension of 12 hectare of its west side.

Its geographical and political location generated frontier struggles between Spain and Portugal which last more than a century.

As a consequence of these conflicts, the city changed its owner several times, from Spain to Portugal and viceversa. The architecture of Colonia del Sacramento is the result of the different architectonical style of the conquerors.

The design of the city has a Portuguese style and is different from the typical checkers drafts which were usual of the Spanish cities and the Indias legislation.

Nowadays, part of the big wall, the moat, the elevated bridge, the bastions of San Miguel, San Antonio, del Carmen, San Pedro and Santa Rita are still kept from those dates.

As you visit it and see the époque shows you will feel as if you were 300 years ago.

It is the most original street of Colonia del Sacramento.

Previously it was known as Ansina street and later Montevideo Chico in 1927. It is a narrow, stone street.

The modest buildings are the typical and popular houses of the XVIII century, some with wood, brick or mud roofs.

There is no doubt that the main attraction is the antiques of the buildings, the style, the construction next to the river, the colors, etc.

This is the name given to the walls and arch stones that are on the corner of street Del Comercio and street De las Misiones de los Tapes, next to the Municipal museum.

There are many explanations for its name because in Colonia there was never a viceroy.

At first this building was a poor ranch, it was rebuilt several times due to the so many war conflict. Today is the oldest church of the country.

In some way, it is possible to say that the history of Colonia del Sacramento was kept in this church with some signs and symbols of those times.

This is a morisc architecture. It was opened on the 9 of January 1910. In its opening was shown all the glorious of the Spanish bull fights. Also for that occasion, two of the best bull fighters of Spain were hired, Ricardo Torres (known as Bombita Grande) and his brother Manuel (known as Bombita Chico).

In that opening festivity there were 10.000 spectators. In total, there were 8 official bull fights but there were some others, up to the year 1912 when the government decided to prohibit every bull fight.

This “Door of the Citadel” or “Field door” is in front of the actual Square 1811. It was finished by 1745 period in which the Portuguese Vasconcellos was the gubernator.

The door, the bridge, the moat, the fortress itself and the stone pillars, etc all together constitute a great historic tourist attraction.