Gateway of the Citadel, Stone entrance gate in Ciudad Vieja, Uruguay
The Gateway of the Citadel is a large stone archway at the entrance to Plaza Independencia in Montevideo, originally serving as the main passage through the fortified colonial city walls. The structure retains evidence of its defensive purpose, including traces of the former drawbridge apparatus that once controlled entry.
The structure was built in 1745 by Spanish colonizers as the sole opening in the defensive wall system protecting the city until 1829. After this period, the surrounding fortifications were gradually dismantled, yet this archway remained standing as a record of colonial military planning.
The gateway marks where Ciudad Vieja begins, and locals still speak of crossing through it as entering the old quarter. This threshold remains meaningful today as a symbolic boundary between past and present.
The easiest approach is to walk from the port area or surrounding streets directly to Plaza Independencia where the structure stands. The site is open to the public and accessible on foot without any special equipment or preparation.
The stones forming the gateway come from the original fortifications that once encircled the entire city, making this structure literally built from the walls themselves. This was historically the first spot where arriving ships could see the city when approaching the harbor.
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