Low angle view of a church, Iglesia Matriz, Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay

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Iglesia Matríz

Colonia del Sacramento


Uruguay’s oldest church – begun by the Portuguese in 1680, then completely rebuilt twice under Spanish rule – is the centerpiece of pretty Plaza de Armas. The plaza also holds the foundations of a house dating from Portuguese times.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Colonia del Sacramento attractions

1. Archivo Regional

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On the northwest edge of Plaza Mayor 25 de Mayo, the tiny Archivo Regional contains historical documents along with pottery and glass excavated from the…

2. Portón de Campo

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The most dramatic way to enter the Barrio Histórico is via the reconstructed 1745 city gate. From here, a thick fortified wall runs south along the Paseo…

3. Museo Portugués

0.1 MILES

In this old house on Colonia's main square you’ll find Portuguese relics including porcelain, furniture, maps, Manuel Lobo’s family tree and the old stone…

4. Museo Indígena

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Houses Roberto Banchero’s personal collection of Charrúa stone tools, exhibits on indigenous history, and an amusing map upstairs showing how many…

5. Museo Municipal

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Houses an eclectic collection of treasures including a whale skeleton, a re-creation of a colonial drawing room, historical timelines and a scale model of…

6. Casa Nacarello

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7. Centro Cultural Bastión del Carmen

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Incorporating part of the city’s historic fortifications, this theater and gallery complex adjacent to Colonia's Puerto Viejo hosts rotating art exhibits…

8. Convento de San Francisco

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Off the southwest corner of Plaza Mayor 25 de Mayo are the ruins of the 17th-century Convento de San Francisco, within which stands the 19th-century faro…

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