• Date of Foundation: año 1680

Visiting this small city is like traveling into the past and catching a glimpse of the rich history of this region. The Oriental Band, as this area was commonly known in the seventeenth century because of its location as regards the Uruguay River , was no man's land in the blurred frontier of the Spanish and Portuguese dominions. In January 1680, the governor of Rio de Janeiro Manuel Lobo commanded the foundation of a fortified city in the current location of Colonia del Sacramento. But because of the proximity with Buenos Aires, there came into being a history of disputes and after many sieges, attacks and changes in dominion, the city finally became part of the independent Uruguay. Its historical district was declared World Heritage by the UNESCO in 1995. At the beginning of the twentieth century, and because of the great tourist potential of the area, a famous Argentine entrepreneur planned the construction of a bridge, hotel, casino, bullfight square and pelota court. Visitors must walk around the old paved streets, squares and hidden corners of the historical district, where they will find buildings of great interest, such as the Matriz Church, Plaza Mayor or Great Square, and its important museums, where many documents, weapons, coins and all kinds of objects are exhibited, giving testimony of a foundational past. Its hotels and restaurants keep their architecture in agreement with the unique environment of this small city, a true historical treasure.