Plaza 19 de Abril is the heart of Tacuarembó. Around the square are Catedral San Fructuoso and historic buildings that reflect the institutional development of the Tacuarembó Department. If you are interested in the city’s history, this is a good place to start: the central square, the cathedral and the historic buildings each tell a different part of local history.
Gaucho history, theatre and visual arts
The Museo del Gaucho collection includes sabres, daggers, lances and handguns, as well as historic insignia of the Blanco and Colorado parties. These insignia were used during Uruguay’s civil wars in the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum therefore offers a different way to explore history from the architecture around the Plaza: here, the focus is on collection items and their political past.
A visit to the Centro Cultural Teatro Escayola takes you through the theatre hall, the Museo del Gaucho, the Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (MUART), a café and a shop. The spaces are physically connected. MUART complements the historical focus with works by more than a hundred artists. Techniques represented include painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, design, audiovisual forms and digital art. If you are particularly interested in art, you will find a broad range here rather than a single genre. As local facilities may change, check for current visitor information before your visit.
Another artwork in the city is La Rueda de la Vida by Uruguayan artist Mauro Arbiza. The sculpture stands on an earth mound shaped to resemble Cerro Batoví, a landmark featured on the coat of arms of the Tacuarembó Department. The work brings together sculpture and a motif from the regional coat of arms.
Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha
The Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha has been held at Laguna de las Lavanderas since 1987. At the festival, visitors can experience rural customs, clothing and cuisine; traditional farming practices and occupations are also part of the event. This makes the Fiesta a distinct way to explore Gaucho culture, alongside the collection at the Museo del Gaucho. If the festival is important to your travel plans, check the dates for your intended travel period.
Valle Edén: exhibits and landscape
Valle Edén is located near Tacuarembó. The village is at kilometer 208 on Ruta 26, 23 km from the city of Tacuarembó and 18 km from the town of Tambores; distances may vary depending on the point of measurement. The Museo Carlos Gardel there explores various aspects of Gardel’s life. Its digital exhibition includes a timeline from his school years to his death, the singer’s personal hats and guitars, and works by graphic artists who portrayed him.
At the museum, visitors can also select Gardel’s letters and place them in a virtual reader to read their contents. A cinema shows films featuring “Zorzal Criollo.” Exhibitions, technical facilities and the film programme may change; check current visitor information if these offerings are important to you. The landscape around Valle Edén is another highlight, characterised by hills and grottos, clear waterways, lush subtropical native vegetation and a variety of wild-growing plants.
Nature spots nearby
The nearby Parque Presidente Manuel Oribe covers 600 hectares of woodland that provides a habitat for native mammals, reptiles, fish and birds. Nearby Balneario Iporá has an Olympic-size swimming pool, multipurpose courts and children’s play equipment. The attractions differ: the park centres on woodland and wildlife habitats, while Iporá is equipped with a pool, courts and play equipment. Facilities may change, so check current visitor information before making them a fixed part of your plans.
Other places in the Tacuarembó Department
Beyond the city of the same name, the department offers a range of landscapes and cultural highlights. San Gregorio de Polanco on the Río Negro is known as the “Península Dorada.” The name refers to its clean sandy beaches and extensive dunes along the banks. Planted pine and eucalyptus forests, as well as beaches, also shape the landscape around the town.
In San Gregorio de Polanco, the Museo Histórico Casa Muga (MUHCAM) is housed in a former general store from the early 20th century that belonged to the Muga family. Its more than 400 archaeological objects were collected over several decades by Segundo Ademar “Pocho” Muga Prieto, a resident of the town. Another historic site in the region is Represa Rincón del Bonete: the hydroelectric power station is owned by UTE and opened in 1945; Víctor Sudriers, Adolfo Ludín and Julio Vilamajó contributed to its creation. Visitors can see the former Sala de Mando, with its photo gallery, as well as the UTE museum on the second floor, which displays historic objects and memorabilia from the institution.
For the overall travel guide: Tacuarembó.
