Uruguay travel blog by Mark Berman -
November 2019
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Treinta y Tres
Inland heading westward from
Punta del Diablo and
Chuy is the city of Treinta y Tres. A simple low-rise city with a tall 45
meter obelisk (Obelisco) which was built in 1954. What is an obelisk? It's a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument made
of concrete which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top - homage to the founders of the city. Other cities I know in
South America with an obelisk include
Sucre and
Potosi in Bolivia,
Buenos Aires and amazingly a 26 meter rock obelisk in
Cafayate in Argentina. The main square in Treinta y Tres is called Plaza 19 de Abril where important buildings include the
church - Parroquia San Jose Obrero, the police department - Jefatura de Policia and the government building - Intendencia
Municipal de Treinta y Tres. The plaza is leafy and has a fountain and monument. The museum of fine arts - Museo Municipal
de Bellas Artes Agustin Araujo is located a block and a half from the plaza in Treinta y Tres. On display are paintings
and old antique items like a gramophone, record player, musical instruments, antique furniture, photos, ceramics, sculptures,
unique chess sets, tools and religious memorabilia.
Melo
116kms northward from Treinta y Tres is the city of Melo. I was here only briefly
for just 1 night and only saw a few sights. Unfortunately the Historical Museum was closed at the time. It is open from
Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 2:30pm. The cathedral to the side of Plaza Constitucion was founded in 1876. At Plaza
Independencia is the church Parroquia Nuestra Senora del Carmen and the theater Teatro Espana (1914). On Saturday evenings
there is a lot of entertainment for people around this plaza. Melo has another museum - Museo Casa de Juana de Ibarbourou,
this house is the birthplace of Uruguay’s most famous poet (Juana de Ibarbourou 1892-1979). The house/museum is at 317
Treinta y Tres Street and is open daily from 11am - 5pm. Melo is a city with much Brazilian influence being only 60kms south of the Brazilian border. From Melo it is 200kms north-west to
Tacuarembo.
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A tree, but a beautiful one with bright red flowers on a street in Treinta y Tres.
Large white dome of Parroquia San Jose Obrero, the main church in Treinta y Tres.
Red-brick church hiding behind trees at the plaza in Treinta y Tres, the dome above.
Police station in Melo in an historic building beside the cathedral.
