Can you feel the weight of history pressing down on you? This is the Plaza Zabala and we are standing before the Zabala Statue. It’s more than just a statue. It’s a tribute to the founder of Montevideo: Bruno Mauricio de Zabala.
In the early 18th century Zabala was a key figure in the struggle for control of this region. He confronted pirates and the Portuguese. They were constantly trying to seize the River Plate. In 1726, Zabala constructed a fortress here. That fortress became Montevideo. It grew into the capital of Uruguay.
Now, look closer at the Zabala Statue. Notice the horse. The rider is Bruno Mauricio de Zabala. The statue stands on the very ground where Zabala built his fortress. The Spanish sculptor Lorenzo Coullaut Valera created this masterpiece. He began in 1931.
But here’s a curious detail. Zabala lost a hand in battle. To conceal this he wore a sling on his right arm. Because of this he brought a two-wheeled cart from Spain. He needed it to govern. A mule pulled it. A black slave managed it. This allowed Zabala to travel the land. He could oversee his governorship.
Interestingly, the plaza wasn’t always here. In 1878, a dictator decided to demolish Zabala’s old fort. Colonel Lorenzo Latorre wanted to build a public square. For 12 years the site remained empty. Finally, in 1890, the Zabala Statue was erected. The Plaza Zabala was officially established.
Take a look around you. The plaza’s layout is unique. It breaks from the city’s checkerboard street pattern. The gardens were designed by French landscape architect Eduardo André. Notice the iron fences and gates. They are a rare sight in Montevideo.
Also, note the street surrounding the square. It’s called Ring Durango. This name honors Zabala’s birthplace in Vizcaya, Spain.
On the south side of the plaza is Palacio Taranco. It now houses the Museum of Decorative Arts. It was once the residence of the Ortiz Taranco brothers.
The Zabala Statue is more than bronze and stone. It represents the strength. It embodies the vision of a man who shaped the destiny of Montevideo. He defended it. He made it a center of Spanish power. Remember Bruno Mauricio de Zabala. He was the one-armed founder who rode through this land.