Plaza Zabala (Zabala Square), Montevideo

Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, a Spanish military officer, played a key role in securing Spanish control of the River Plate in the early 18th century. To strengthen Spain’s presence in the region, Zabala ordered the establishment of a fortified settlement on the coast in 1726. The coastal fortress built under Zabala remained a defining feature of the site for more than a century. In 1878, during the rule of Colonel Lorenzo Latorre, the decision was made to demolish the old fortifications and convert the area into a public square.

The square itself was officially inaugurated in December 1890, but without a central monument. The equestrian statue of Zabala was installed much later and inaugurated on December 27, 1931. The statue stands at the center of the square, with Zabala on horseback oriented toward the north.

The landscaped gardens surrounding the monument were designed by French landscape architect Édouard André. His plan organizes the square with radial walkways leading inward to the statue, framed by structured greenery and enclosed by ornamental iron fences and gates. The square is fully encircled by Durango Ring Road, the ring street that traces the former defensive perimeter and is named after Zabala’s birthplace.

On the southern edge of the square, facing the gardens, stands Taranco Palace, now the Museum of Decorative Arts. Together, the square, monument, and surrounding buildings mark Montevideo’s shift from fortified outpost to civic capital, visible in both layout and orientation.