Quiet town with a history of colonisation - Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento 747; Tango 00258
What and Why
Colonia del Sacramento, meaning 'Sacrament Colony' in Spanish, was founded in the late 17th century CE by the Portuguese, sandwiched in between the Portuguese Colonial Brazil (Portuguese: Brasil Colonial) and the Spanish Vice Royalty of the River Plate (Spanish: Virreinato del Río de la Plata), which later includes Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil (Portuguese: Brasil). Its strategic military and trade position and use as a smuggling port meant that its sovereignty was hotly contested and the city changed hands several times between Spain (España) and Portugal.
The town, lined with old colonial buildings, cobbled streets and little cafés, oozes a pleasant charm when one walks around, with its cityscape reflecting both Spanish and Portuguese influence. The urban layout of Colonia del Sacramento reflects slightly more of the irregular Portuguese colonial planning, rather than the Spanish grid system. It is actually the second oldest city in Uruguay.
Toponymy
Ditto.
See
The main historic centre (barrio histórico) can be completed within an hour or two of pleasant walk. There are a number of uninspiring museums which honestly offer very little, although you only buy one ticket to access all of them. Interestingly there are plenty of old cars, some probably a century old, lying around. Amongst the few historic buildings and monuments, the following are of interest:
Portón de Campo
The main city gate, wooden drawbridge and remnants of the Portuguese-built fortifications, dating back to the mid-18th century CE. Next to it are the ruins of the city walls.
Lighthouse (Faro)
Built in mid-19th century CE, this lighthouse offers stunning panoramic views of the city and the Río de la Plata, although it is not very tall. The lighthouse (faro) is the landmark of the tiny town, it used to be a convent.
Calle de los Suspiros
The main walk, Calle de los Suspiros overlooked by the lighthouse, as shown above, is the town's most photographed street. The name of the street translates to 'street of sighs' as it used to be filled with brothels while prisoners were brought along it before being put to death. The street was constructed by the Portuguese and was shaped concave in the middle to allow water to drain to the sea. However when the Spanish came, they constructed roads that were the opposite shape: convex in the middle and lower in the sides. One can use this to differentiate which roads were constructed by whom in the city and during which period.
Many of the houses have circular shaped tiles to tile the roofs. These were made by African slaves and they used their thighs to shape the tiles!
Basilica of the Holy Sacrament (Basilica del Sanctísimo Sacramento)
The Basilica of the Holy Sacrament (Basilica del Sanctísimo Sacramento) is the main Catholic church in the town, dating back to early 19th century CE. Pretty basic Romanesque church.
Humour Museum (Museo del Humor)
Incredibly the highlight of our visit to this historic town was nothing historic and cultural. The visit to the Humour Museum (Museo del Humor) was a surreal and utterly non-sensical experience. The museum is free-of-charge and is hosted by a former Argentinian larger-than-life comedian Ivan Rosemblat. You will be 'forced' to dance and sing with him around his museum and to the public but it does bring out the inner-child in you. While Rosemblat only speaks Spanish and perhaps two words of English, and we were in this museum with a pair of Brazilian who only speaks Brazilian, we did not feel disengaged at all!
Plaza Mayor
The Humour Museum is situated in the corner of Plaza Mayor, the central piazza lined with palm trees, is really not that major. All the musems are located around the square. This is a peaceful public square surrounded by cafés, art galleries, and museums. There is a small mansion Casa del Virrey, reconstructed from the original ruins.
During the morning, it was used by the Portuguese army as a site of military training and a cannon was fired to signal the training.
Plaza de Toros Real de San Carlos
Outside of the city is Uruguay's only bullfighting ring, Plaza de Toros Real de San Carlos that is almost unused. It was finished in 1910 CE with room for 8,000 spectators, but incredibly and ironically bullfighting was banned by law in the country two years later and the ring was left to rot for more than a century. Only until recently it was restored and transformed into a cultural centre for musical or sporting events.
Granja Arenas
Granja Arenas is a farm cum recreational museum just outside the town with an animal reserve and a number attractions. It features a museum of local eccentric Emilio Arenas's extraordinary collections of everything from fridge magnets to baseball caps. The museum includes the Guinness World Records–certified largest collections of matchboxes, keychains, and pencils, which is easily the highlight of the farm.
The working farm also includes another attraction: a restaurant which sells jams, but not just ordinary jam. Its jam-products includes all kinds of ingredients, from the ordinary blueberry to the not-so-normal aubergine!
Buy and Do
Tango
A trip to Argentina and Uruguay is not complete if one does not have some experience of tango. Tango is the national dance of both Argentina and Uruguay and is naturally a UNESCO ICH. One will find people honing their skills everywhere in piazzas or street spaces, called milonga or some people will just start dancing in a restaurant when their feelings arrive! We witnesssed a few in Colonia del Sacramento around Plaza Mayor.
We went for a night dance show in one of these studio-cafeteria in Buenos Aires and enjoyed an absolutely fabulous tango show. There is a guide map called Tangomap available to find these shows and milongas.
The etymology of tango is a bit inconclusive but the most accepted one theorises the word to derive from the Portuguese word 'tanger', meaning 'to play musical instrument'.
Tango represents a unique blend of European, African, and Latin American influences, evolving from the working-class Spanish and African neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the late 19th century CE into a global phenomenon. During its formative years, through its immigrant roots, it blended elements of: milonga, a fast-paced local Argentine folk music and dance; habanera, a Cuban rhythm; and candombe, an Afro-Uruguayan drumming and dance traditions into the mix, giving rise to the present style.
To Argentinians and Uruguayans, tango is more than just a dance. It is an expression of emotion, passion, and cultural identity. Tango music often explores themes of love and nostalgia, reflecting the struggles of immigrants and working-class. The tango embrace (abrazo) symbolises human connexion, love and intimacy, central to both dance and culture.
Initially, tango was associated with low-income and marginalised communities, often performed in bars and dance halls. By the early 20th century CE, tango had gained respectability, spreading to Europe, where it became a fashionable ballroom dance. Recently a global revival since the end of the 20th century CE reintroduced tango to international audiences, leading to worldwide performances, festivals and competitions.
Many cafeterias or milongas offer tango performances and courses and I know one of my friend couple who flew all the way to Argentina and danced nonstop for one week!
Eat and Drink
We went back to Buenos Aires and we tried the Argentine Experience. It is not exactly a dinner but really an experience in which Argentinian slangs, gestures and culture are shared. We were also shared the way Argentinian steak is ordered in Spanish and prepared. Patrons are also taught how to make an empanada (Spanish dumpling or pie). Full of fun and enjoyment!
Travel Suggestions and Logistics
A very convenient two-hour ferry ride from Buenos Aires is all it takes. From the ferry pier it is just a 10-minute walk. The town is all walking distance with some of the best photospots. A good day trip is recommended. The ferry fare is around USD $80 for a round trip.
Combine this with a visit to either Buenos Aires or Montevideo.
It is not necessary to change the Argentinian (ARS) or Uruguayan peso (UYU) here, as both currencies suffer from extreme de-valuation and the everyone prefers the American dollars USD in any transactions.
UNESCO Inscriptions
Founded by the Portuguese in 1680 on the Río de la Plata, the city was of strategic importance in resisting the Spanish. After being disputed for a century, it was finally lost by its founders. The well-preserved urban landscape illustrates the successful fusion of the Portuguese, Spanish and post-colonial styles.
The Argentinian and Uruguayan tradition of the Tango, now familiar around the world, was developed by the urban lower classes in Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the Rio de la Plata basin. Among this mix of European immigrants to the region, descendents of African slaves and the natives of the region known as criollos, a wide range of customs, beliefs and rituals were merged and transformed into a distinctive cultural identity. As one of the most recognizable embodiments of that identity, the music, dance and poetry of tango both embodies and encourages diversity and cultural dialogue. It is practised in the traditional dance halls of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, spreading the spirit of its community across the globe even as it adapts to new environments and changing times. That community today includes musicians, professional and amateur dancers, choreographers, composers, songwriters, teachers of the art and the national living treasures who embody the culture of tango. Tango is also incorporated into celebrations of national heritage in Argentina and Uruguay, reflecting the widespread embrace of this popular urban music.
References
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Please share your thoughts and comments about the blog. If you need suggestions to build a travel itinerary, please let me know. More than willing to help. I would also like to build a bespoke-in-depth travel community around UNESCO WHS and ICH.
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