Legislative Palace of Uruguay
Palacio Legislativo del Uruguay
General information
Architectural styleNeo-classical architecture
LocationMontevideo,  Uruguay
Construction started1904
Completed1925
OwnerGeneral Assembly of Uruguay
Design and construction
Architect(s)Vittorio Meano
Gaetano Moretti
Main contractorG. y M. Debernardis

The Legislative Palace of Uruguay (Spanish: Palacio Legislativo del Uruguay) is a monumental building, meeting place of the General Assembly of Uruguay, and the seat of the legislative branch of the Uruguayan government. It is located in the Aguada neighborhood of Montevideo.[1]

Constructed between 1904 and 1925, the building was inaugurated on August 25, 1925, in commemoration of the centenary of the Declaration of Independence. It was declared a National Historic Monument in 1975 by the government of President Juan María Bordaberry.

History

The history of the Legislative Palace begins in 1902 with a law that approves the call for international competition for architectural projects for the construction of a new headquarters for the legislative branch, since its old headquarters, the Montevideo Cabildo, had several inadequacies. The project of the architect Vittorio Meano, who at that time was building the Palace of the Argentine National Congress in Buenos Aires, was approved, however he never found out that his project had been the winner, since he died suddenly before he could be contacted by the Legislative Palace Commission, organizer of the project competition.[2] The construction of this building started in 1904 sponsored by the government of President José Batlle y Ordoñez. It was designed by Italian architects Vittorio Meano and Gaetano Moretti, who planned the building's interior that is covered with marble. Among the notable contributors to the project was sculptor José Belloni, who created numerous reliefs and allegorical sculptures for the building. On August 25, 1925, the Palace was formally inaugurated. Although the decoration work was not completed until 1964.[3] The inauguration was presided over by President José Serrato.[4]

Source:[5]

Architecture

The Palace is a Greco-Roman eclecticist style building, whose facades, interior walls, vaults and columns are covered with different marbles from Uruguay, it took almost three decades to build.[6]

It consists of three large halls and several adjoining rooms, an upper floor, where the Library of the Legislative Power works with more than 250,000 volumes [7] and some parliamentary offices, as well as a large basement where there are offices, warehouses and printing and binding workshops. The main facade of the building is aligned with the axis of symmetry of Libertador Avenue.

Interior

Lobby of Honnor

The Honorary Lobby is the first room after the main entrance of the building.[8] It connects the portico with the Hall of the Lost Steps, and it exhibits works of art such as “La Jura de la Constitución 1830” by Pedro Blanes Viale, and the “Encuentro de un Centauro Indio con el León Hispano” and “El primer surco”, both by Manuel Rosé.[9]

Hall of the Lost Steps

Hall of the lost Steps

In the nave of the building is the Hall of the Lost Steps (Spanish: Salón de los Pasos Perdidos), which is inspired by the cathedrals of the Renaissance and is composed of two vaults and a central skylight, which separates the two chambers in which the Senate and the House of Representatives meet.

Guards guarding the Constitution.

The entrance to each of the chambers is crowned with three stained glass windows that form a semicircle, the entrance to the Chamber of Representatives contains an Allegory of the Republic and that of the Senate an Allegory of Justice.[10]

This hall is usually used for art exhibitions, concerts and other events.[11][12] It has been the site of the lying in state of former presidents and ministers, and lying in honor of several Uruguayan personalities, such as, Juana de Ibarbourou (who also received the title of "Juana of America" there in 1929),[13] Mario Benedetti,[14] China Zorrilla,[15] Carlos Páez Vilaró,[16] Eduardo Galeano,[17] Carlos Maggi[18] and Alcides Ghiggia.[19]

In addition, the Hall of the Lost Steps preserves the original copies of the Constitution of 1830 and the Declaration of Independence of 1825.[20]

Special Events Hall

Also known as the Party Hall, there are works that reflect episodes in Uruguayan history such as: “Las Instrucciones del Año XIII”, “” or “El Éxodo del Pueblo Oriental”.[21] They exhibit portraits of famous figures, such as Fructuoso Rivera, Manuel Oribe and Juan Antonio Lavalleja.[22] Its ceiling has gilt highlights on the 24-karat gold leaf.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Poder Legislativo". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-04-22. Historia del Edificio'Poder Legislativo
  2. ↑ "Víctor Meano, asesinado arquitecto de la democracia". viajes.elpais.com.uy. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  3. ↑ ElPais (9 September 2015). "Secretos del Palacio Legislativo". Diario EL PAIS Uruguay (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  4. ↑ http://www.palaciolegislativo.com.uy/ {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ admin_parlamento (2013-04-17). "Historia". Parlamento del Uruguay (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  6. ↑ "Arquitectura e historia del Palacio Legislativo de Montevideo". www.viajeauruguay.com. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  7. ↑ "Biblioteca del Poder Legislativo".
  8. ↑ "Palacio Legislativo | Intendencia de Montevideo". 2023-06-16. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  9. ↑ "27° EDICIÓN DEL "DÍA DEL PATRIMONIO"". www.diputados.gub.uy (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  10. ↑ "Palacio Legislativo, testimonio de la grandeza de un país | La Mañana" (in Spanish). 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  11. ↑ "El Espectador 810". espectador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  12. ↑ Uruguaya, Sociedad (2015-04-23). "Centenario del Genocidio Armenio: Ceremonia en el Salón de los Pasos Perdidos del Palacio Legislativo". Sociedad Uruguaya (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  13. ↑ "El día que Juana de Ibarbourou se convirtió en un mito". EL PAIS. 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  14. ↑ "Los uruguayos se despiden de un Benedetti que "nunca muere" (+Fotos) en Noticias24.com". 2016-10-26. Archived from the original on 2016-10-26. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  15. ↑ historico.espectador.com (2014-09-17). "China Zorrilla será velada este jueves en el Salón de los Pasos Perdidos del Palacio Legislativo". HISTORICO.ESPECTADOR.COM (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  16. ↑ Redacción. "Los restos de Páez Vilaró ya descansan en el Cementerio del Norte". El Observador. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  17. ↑ "Eduardo Galeano fue velado en el Palacio Legislativo". Montevideo Portal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  18. ↑ "Políticos y personalidades despidieron a Carlos Maggi en el Palacio Legislativo". Teledoce.com (in Spanish). 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  19. ↑ Redacción. "Imágenes del velatorio de Alcides Ghiggia en el Palacio Legislativo". El Observador. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  20. ↑ "Constitución de la República de 1830 será presentada en versión digital". Uruguay Presidencia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  21. ↑ "El renovado salón de fiestas del Palacio Legislativo". Radiomundo En Perspectiva (in Spanish). 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  22. ↑ "Historia". Parlamento del Uruguay. Archived from the original on 2022-08-16.

34°53′28″S 56°11′14″W / 34.89107°S 56.18726°W / -34.89107; -56.18726


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