Palacio Salvo

The Palacio Salvo, located at the corner of the square and Avenida 18 de Julio, is the most iconic building in Montevideo. This eccentric Art Deco skyscraper blends Gothic, Renaissance, and Neoclassical influences in one bold and unmistakable silhouette. As original as it may seem, it actually has a twin: the Palacio Barolo, located on Avenida de Mayo in Buenos Aires. They were both designed by the Italian architect Mario Palanti. The Palacio Salvo was commissioned by the entrepreneurial Salvo brothers, hence the name. When the two buildings were built, each was equipped with a lighthouse, as the idea was that they might signal to each other across the Río de la Plata, connecting the two capitals. The Palacio Salvo was inaugurated in 1928 and briefly held the title of tallest building in Latin America, until it was overtaken by the Kavanagh Building in Buenos Aires. The Salvo brothers had bought the site where the famous Confitería La Giralda once stood, a café where Gerardo Matos Rodríguez composed the legendary tango La Cumparsita in 1917. The building now houses the Tango Museum, where you can explore the deep cultural roots of this music. You can even join a guided tour of the Palacio Salvo. These paid visits offer a glimpse into the building’s glamorous past, originally designed as a luxury hotel, though years of dictatorship and economic crisis eventually turned it into a mix of offices and private apartments. Now, with restoration efforts underway, a new chapter is being written for this historic monument.