Fortaleza del Cerro, also known as Fortaleza General Artigas, is a fortress situated in Montevideo, Uruguay overlooking the Bay of Montevideo. It belongs to the barrio of Casabó, at the west of Villa del Cerro. It holds a dominant position on the highest hill of the department of Montevideo (popularly known as Cerro de Montevideo) with an altitude of 134 meters above sea level, on the opposite side of the bay.[2] Its function was to defend the population of Montevideo and its port, on the río de la Plata. Governor Francisco Javier de Elío ordered construction in 1809 and it was completed in 1839;[2] this was the last Spanish fort built in Uruguay. It has housed the Military Museum since 1916.

Fortaleza del Cerro Lighthouse

The fortress on the Cerro de Montevideo
Location	Villa del Cerro, Montevideo, Uruguay
Coordinates	34°53′19″S 56°15′36″W
Tower
Constructed	1802
Construction	brick
Height	8 m (26 ft)
Shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern atop a fortress
Markings	white
Light
Focal height	148 m (486 ft)
Range	19 nmi (35 km; 22 mi)
Characteristic	Fl(3) W 10s
Uruguay no.	UY-424[1]

Monument and Sight

It has been a National Monument since 1931[3] and has housed a military museum since 1916.[2] Today it is a well-known attraction for tourists visiting Montevideo.

See also

• List of lighthouses in Uruguay

References

External links

• www.uruguaytotal.com/virtual/cerro (Spanish)
• www.montevideo.com (Spanish)
• Revista Raíces - Historia de la Fortaleza del Cerro (Spanish)