| Colonia del Sacramento | |
|---|---|
| — Capital city — | |
| Basilica del Sanctísimo Sacramento | |
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Colonia del Sacramento
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Uruguay |
| Department | Colonia Department |
| Founded | 1680 |
| Founder | Manuel Lobo |
| Elevation | 27 m (89 ft) |
| Population (2004) | |
| • Total | 21,714 |
| Time zone | UTC -3 |
| Postal code | 70000 |
| Area code(s) | +598 452 |
Colonia del Sacramento (formerly the Portuguese Colónia do Sacramento) is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.
It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site. Modern Colonia del Sacramento produces textiles and has a free trade zone, in addition to a polytechnic centre and various government buildings.
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In 2004 Colonia del Sacramento had a population of 21,714.[1]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 13,337 |
| 1975 | 17,046 |
| 1985 | 19,102 |
| 1996 | 22,200 |
| 2004 | 21,714 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay[2]
Founded in 1680 by Portugal as Colónia do Sacramento, the colony was later disputed by the Spanish who settled on the opposite bank of the river at Buenos Aires. The colony was conquered by José de Garro in 1680, but returned to Portugal the next year. It was conquered again by the Spanish in March 1705 after a siege of five months, but given back in the Treaty of Utrecht. Another attack during the Spanish-Portuguese War, 1735-1737, failed.
It kept changing hands from crown to crown due to treaties such as the Treaty of Madrid in 1750 and the Treaty of San Ildefonso in 1777, until it remained with the Spanish. It then transferred to Portuguese control again, being later incorporated in Brazil after 1816, when the entire Banda Oriental (Uruguay) was seized by the government of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and renamed the Cisplatina province.
Now part of the independent country of Uruguay, Colonia del Sacramento has expanded to the north and east, but the original Barrio Histórico (historic quarter) retains its irregular, terrain-fitting street plan built by the Portuguese, contrasting with the wider, orthogonal calles in the newer Spanish area.
The rule from 1680 to present (with flag of the period) is:
| From | To | Rule | Reason for Handover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1680 | 1680 | Portugal | conquered by José de Garro |
| 1680 | 1681 | Spain | Provisional Treaty of Lisbon |
| 1681 | 1705 | Portugal | conquered in the War of Spanish Succession |
| 1705 | 1713 | Spain | Treaty of Utrecht |
| 1714 | 1762 | Portugal | First Cevallos expedition |
| 1762 | 1763 | Spain | Treaty of Paris (1763) |
| 1763 | 1777 | Portugal | Second Cevallos expedition |
| 1777 | 1811 | Spain | Revolt led by José Gervasio Artigas |
| 1811 | 1817 | Liga Federal | Luso-Brazilian invasion |
| 1817 | 1822 | Portugal | Brazilian Declaration of Independence |
| 1822 | 1828 | Brazil | Argentina-Brazil War |
| 1828 | present | Uruguay |
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Colonia del Sacramento has a mild humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm and winters are cool, with relatively frequent frosts and fog. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,039 mm (40.91 in), and the annual average temperature is 17 °C (63 °F).
The Barrio Histórico (historic quarter) section of Colonia del Sacramento is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is a popular tourist attraction for visitors from Buenos Aires, and there is frequent ferry service across the Río de la Plata between the two cities, with fast ferries completing the journey in just 50 minutes. The historical section of Colonia, which has some cobblestone streets built by the Portuguese in the 17th century, is within walking distance of the ferry terminal. Among the notable visitor attractions around the tree-lined Plaza Mayor (main square) are:
| Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento * | |
|---|---|
| Country | Uruguay |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv |
| Reference | 747 |
| Region ** | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1995 (19th Session) |
| * Name as inscribed on World Heritage List ** Region as classified by UNESCO |
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Colonia del Sacramento is served by three ferry boat lines from Buenos Aires, Argentina: "Buquebus", "Seacat Colonia" and "Colonia Express".
Two principal highways terminate at Colonia: Highway #1 connects Colonia to Montevideo and points east; Highway #21 connects to points north, including the Aarón de Anchorena National Park, 30 kilometres (19 mi) distant, and Fray Bentos. There is also a local airport which can receive light aircraft. There is a project in planning to lengthen the runway and recommence flights to Buenos Aires (this was done in the past)and other cities within Uruguay.
The city is served by Laguna de los Patos International Airport located 17km from Colonia along route 1.
Argentina maintains a consulate in Colonia del Sacramento.
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