Consider the winds that once carried Juan Diaz de Solis toward this very shore. This is the Juan Diaz de Solis Bust. It commemorates a pivotal figure in the history of this region. Who was Juan Diaz de Solis? What brought him to these shores?
Juan Diaz de Solis was a navigator. He was an explorer whose journey marked a discovery. It also marked a tragedy. It shaped the future of Punta del Este. Around the 16th century, Solis’s crew stumbled upon Punta del Este. This encounter between Europe and the Rio de la Plata region laid the foundation for this prominent city.
In 1515, Solis ventured into the waters near Maldonado. Carlos Paez Vilaro described Solis as a discoverer. He named everything his eyes beheld. The Isla de Lobos became San Sebastian de Cadiz. This port became La Candelaria. The expedition aimed to find a transatlantic passage. This voyage led to the first European contact with the Rio de la Plata. It also marked Solis’s landing in Maldonado Bay.
The expedition departed from San Lucar on October 8, 1515. It had three small caravels. It had seventy sailors. The goal was to cross the Pacific and reach the Far East. Solis sailed along the Brazilian coast. He explored the coasts of Rio Grande and Uruguay. On February 2, 1516, Solis arrived at Punta del Este. He claimed the land for the King of Spain. A cross was erected. Trumpets sounded. The place was named Puerto de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria. This commemorated the Virgin.
Solis sought to find a passage to the South Sea. He sailed along the coast. He stopped at a natural inlet. He named it Puerto de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria in February 1516. The expedition continued westward. They disembarked somewhere along the coast. Indigenous people attacked and killed them.
Survivors returned to Cape San Agustin. Francisco de Torres, Solis’s brother-in-law, took command. They gathered Brazilwood. They returned to Spain. They arrived on September 4, 1516. The estuary of the Rio de la Plata became known as the Rio de Solis.
Imagine Solis stepping onto this land. He felt the sand beneath his boots. This moment marked the beginning of tourism here. From those early days, Punta del Este has grown significantly. It transformed from a small village in the 19th century. It became one of Latin America’s most exclusive resorts. Luxury developments and top-tier tourism define it today. Here stands the Juan Diaz de Solis Bust. It is a testament to a journey of discovery and the origins of Punta del Este.