Museo Casa de Juan Zorrilla de San Martín

Did Juan Zorrilla de San Martín ever imagine his summer home would become a museum? Here at the Museo Casa de Juan Zorrilla de San Martín, time seems to stand still. The Museo Casa de Juan Zorrilla de San Martín sits at the corner of Zorrilla de San Martín street and Rambla Mahatma Gandhi. It’s in the Punta Carretas neighborhood of Montevideo, Uruguay. Built in two phases, starting in 1904, the house later expanded in 1921. This second phase added the grand dining room. It features an impressive fireplace bearing the family crest. Its motto reads, “Velar se debe la vida de tal suerte que viva quede en la muerte,” which translates to “Life must be lived in such a way that it remains alive in death.” The dining room also boasts a mural by the poet’s son, José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín, depicting the biblical Supper at Emmaus. He also designed the expansion, including the redesigned garden, the fountain, and a Spanish tiled bench. The Museo Casa de Juan Zorrilla de San Martín also holds a charming chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Carmen. The altar, a gift from the Salesian fathers, was crafted by students from the Don Bosco workshops. Two gilded, carved wooden columns, salvaged from the Jesuit Missions, flank a polychrome wooden statue of the Virgin. It wears a crown of gold and silver, a gift from Juan D. Jackson. Throughout the Museo Casa de Juan Zorrilla de San Martín, you’ll find original furnishings, personal belongings, and documents. These offer a glimpse into the life and times of the “Poet of the Nation,” as he was known. The house was a social hub, frequently hosting visitors from the world of art and politics. Five years after Juan Zorrilla de San Martín’s death in 1931, the house became state property. It opened as a museum in 1943, initially called the “Museo y Escuela Cívica Juan Zorrilla de San Martín”. Later, in 1975, it was declared a national heritage site. A modern annex, built in 2001, now houses temporary exhibitions, concerts, readings, and various cultural activities. The Museo Casa de Juan Zorrilla de San Martín truly captures the essence of this remarkable poet’s life and legacy.