Prado is a ''

barrio ''Barrio'' () is a Spanish language, Spanish word that means "Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter" or "neighborhood". In the modern Spanish language, it is generally defined as each area of a city delimited by functional (e.g. residential, comm ...

'' (neighbourhood or district) in

Montevideo Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

. Located in the central-western part of the city and crossed by the Miguelete Creek, it is a residential neighborhood known for its mansions and palatial homes built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, showcasing a blend of architectural styles. Administratively divided between Municipalities A and C of the

Montevideo Department Montevideo () is a department (''departamento'') of Uruguay. It is by far the smallest department in area, but also by far the most populated. Its capital is the city of Montevideo, which is also the national capital. While most of the departme ...

, its geographical center is the park from which it takes its name. It borders Capurro to the southwest,

La Teja La Teja is a ''barrio'' (neighbourhood or district) of Montevideo, Uruguay. The neighborhood has a mix of residential and industrial properties, mostly occupied by working class communities, including with a number of informal settlements built o ...

to the west, Belvedere to the northwest,

Paso de las Duranas Paso de las Duranas is a ''cultural center'' in Montevideo, Uruguay. Location It is located in Aires Puros, between Belvedere and Sayago to the northwest, Lavalleja to the north and Prado to the south. Landmarks Paso de las Duranas is home t ...

to the north,

Aires Puros Aires Puros is a ''barrio'' (neighbourhood or district) of Montevideo, Uruguay. Location It borders Lavalleja, Montevideo, Lavalleja and Paso de las Duranas to the northwest, Casavalle to the northeast, Cerrito, Montevideo, Cerrito and Brazo Ori ...

to the northeast and

Atahualpa Atahualpa (), also Atawallpa or Ataw Wallpa ( Quechua) ( 150226 July 1533), was the last effective Inca emperor, reigning from April 1532 until his capture and execution in July of the following year, as part of the Spanish conquest of the In ...

to the east and Bella Vista to the south.

History

In the early 19th century, the area lay outside the walled city of Montevideo and was a fertile zone where land along the Miguelete Creek had been subdivided for agricultural use. Towards the 1840s, the farms that had been built began to be transformed into small houses with gardens, which were used by the besieging families during the

Great Siege of Montevideo The Great Siege of Montevideo (), named as ''Sitio Grande'' in Uruguayan historiography, was the siege suffered by the city of Montevideo between 1843 and 1851 during the Uruguayan Civil War.Walter Rela (1998). Uruguay: República Oriental de ...

(1840–51). Following the end of the

Uruguayan Civil War The Uruguayan Civil War, also known in Spanish as the ''Guerra Grande'' ("Great War"), was a series of armed conflicts between the leaders of Uruguayan independence. While officially the war lasted from 1839 until 1851, it was a part of armed ...

, the area saw the construction of its first country houses and became a summer retreat for the city’s upper class. By the 1860s, the French-born businessman José de Buschental built the Buen Retiro Estate, which included a chalet and private park, where he installed the country's first steam-powered windmill. In 1893, the property was purchased by the Uruguayan state, which converted it into a

public park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a city park, municipal park (North America), public park, public open space, or municipal gardens (United Kingdom, UK), is a park or botanical garden in cities, densely populated suburbia and oth ...

. Starting in the 1890s, the area gradually evolved into the favored residential district of the city's upper class. Consequently, buildings became more elaborate, featuring grand houses and opulent mansions with landscaped gardens.

The park

The park of Prado, known as

Parque Prado Parque Prado is the largest of Montevideo's six principal public parks. Established in 1873, it covers an area of 106 hectares and is located in the barrio of Prado The Museo del Prado ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is t ...

is an important venue for the citizens of Montevideo. attractions are Rosedal, a rose garden, fountains, and monuments. Miguelete Creek flows through the park. Part of the park is the "Rural del Prado", an exposition centre and fairgrounds.

The barrio

The barrio is home to three soccer stadiums, José Nasazzi Park, Federico Saroldi Park, and Alfredo V. Viera Park where the Bella Vista Athletic Club, River Plate Athletic Club, and Montevideo Wanderers soccer teams, respectively, play their games. The Prado barrio is home to the Carmelitas Church, the Castillo Soneira and many other beautiful old villas.

Places of worship

This neighbourhood is full with Christian temples of very diverse denominations: * Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, popularly known as "Iglesia de los Carmelitas" (Roman Catholic,

Carmelites The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...

) * Church of St. Charles Borromeo and Our Lady of the Assumption (

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

) * Church of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic) * Armenian Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Bzommar (

Armenian Catholic Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

) * St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox ChurchIglesia Ortodoxa Griega
(

Greek Orthodox Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Greek Christianity, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christians or more broadly the rite used in the Eastern Rom ...

) * St. Paul Lutheran Church (

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

)

Images

References

External links

Intendencia de Montevideo / Paso Molino, El Prado y sus alrededoresSoneira's Castle: Headquarters of San Pablo School Pre University
{{Barrios of Montevideo Barrios of Montevideo