Cabildo Historical Council, Colonial administrative building in Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo, Uruguay
The Cabildo Historical Council is a Spanish Colonial building in Ciudad Vieja at the corner of Juan Carlos Gómez and Sarandí streets, featuring white stone walls and columns. The structure spans three floors and contains exhibitions about local governance history as well as preserved administrative chambers from the colonial period.
Construction began in 1804 under architect Tomás Toribio and it served as the city's first administrative headquarters. The building is where Uruguay's first Constitution was signed in 1830.
The building now houses the Municipal Historical Museum, displaying paintings, furniture, and objects that show how Montevideo and its governance evolved over centuries. Visitors can see how daily life and administration changed through different periods.
The building is open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, allowing exploration of all three floors. It is easily accessible on foot since it sits at a central corner in the old city.
Beneath the building lies a circular cistern made of brick and lime mortar dating to 1730, predating the current structure by more than 70 years. This underground chamber shows the site served urban purposes long before the Cabildo was built.
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