Exploring Colonia

We began exploring Colonia with a street tour beginning near the Matriz Church. This church is one of the three famous landmarks that can be seen throughout Colonia del Sacramento. Our lovely tour guide educated us on the historical aspects of Colonia’s culture and architectural components. Beginning with a treaty finally signed by both the Spaniards and Portuguese in 1777, she explained how the two influences paint a truly unique dynamic across the city. The Matriz Church in Colonia, Uruguay After over a century of fighting, a treaty was signed to mark the end of an era. Although the Spaniards changed the main infrastructure of the city, the Portuguese decided to build from what was left of their previous creations and add to the Spaniards work. One student even described this combination as "refreshing" (Kierstin Lock). For the majority of the city, the streets run downward and vary in completely different sizes. The Portuguese made downward canals in order to allo...