![Plaza de la Bandera (Flag Square), Montevideo](/img/gd_attr/36497.jpg)
Plaza de la Bandera (Flag Square), Montevideo
Flag Square (Plaza de la Bandera), also known as Democracy Square or Oriental Nationality Square, is a significant public space and road junction in the Three Crosses (Tres Cruces) neighborhood of Montevideo. This bustling square connects three of Montevideo's major thoroughfares—Italy Avenue, Artigas Boulevard, and October 8th Avenue. These roads are crucial for their heavy traffic flow, serving as key routes into the city's central business district.
The square is strategically situated opposite the Tres Cruces bus station and mall, which is the main bus terminal in the country, making it a central hub of activity. The plaza was officially inaugurated on December 15, 1978, during the civic-military regime and featured a prominent flagpole with the national flag.
Following the end of the dictatorship in 1985, the square was renamed Democracy Square. Over the years, it has been adorned with several significant monuments. A notable addition was the replica of the Capitoline Wolf, installed in 1938. A statue of Joaquín "Ansina" Lenzina by José Belloni was also placed in the square in 1943, though it was moved to Barrio Sur in 2020. More recently, in 2017, a poignant monument was erected to honor the victims of the civic-military dictatorship. This sculpture features two bronze figures, kneeling, hooded, and with hands bound, symbolizing the oppression faced during the dictatorship era.
Democracy Square serves not only as a traffic junction and meeting place but also as a venue for various events, tributes, demonstrations, and political rallies. The square remains a dynamic and historically rich site, reflecting both the resilience and the complex history of Uruguay.
The square is strategically situated opposite the Tres Cruces bus station and mall, which is the main bus terminal in the country, making it a central hub of activity. The plaza was officially inaugurated on December 15, 1978, during the civic-military regime and featured a prominent flagpole with the national flag.
Following the end of the dictatorship in 1985, the square was renamed Democracy Square. Over the years, it has been adorned with several significant monuments. A notable addition was the replica of the Capitoline Wolf, installed in 1938. A statue of Joaquín "Ansina" Lenzina by José Belloni was also placed in the square in 1943, though it was moved to Barrio Sur in 2020. More recently, in 2017, a poignant monument was erected to honor the victims of the civic-military dictatorship. This sculpture features two bronze figures, kneeling, hooded, and with hands bound, symbolizing the oppression faced during the dictatorship era.
Democracy Square serves not only as a traffic junction and meeting place but also as a venue for various events, tributes, demonstrations, and political rallies. The square remains a dynamic and historically rich site, reflecting both the resilience and the complex history of Uruguay.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Montevideo. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Plaza de la Bandera (Flag Square) on Map
Sight Name: Plaza de la Bandera (Flag Square)
Sight Location: Montevideo, Uruguay (See walking tours in Montevideo)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Sight Location: Montevideo, Uruguay (See walking tours in Montevideo)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Walking Tours in Montevideo, Uruguay
Create Your Own Walk in Montevideo
Creating your own self-guided walk in Montevideo is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Montevideo Old Town Walking Tour
In 1683, the Portuguese founded a city called Colonia do Sacramento across the bay from Buenos Aires. Field marshal Manuel da Fonseca built a fort there he called Montevieu. In 1724, the Spanish governor of Buenos Aires, one-armed Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, forced the Portuguese out and changed the name of the city.
Bruno and the Spanish settlers called their new city "Saint Philip and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Bruno and the Spanish settlers called their new city "Saint Philip and... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Prado District Walking Tour
A quiet, upscale barrio El Prado, in the north of Montevideo, is famous primarily for the sprawling park of the same name. Indeed, the city’s main green space, Parque del Prado is a major public venue made up of grassy fields, with the Arroyo Miguelete (Miguelete Creek) running through it, for which the neighborhood has been dubbed "the lung of the city".
Apart from the park,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Apart from the park,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles