Colonia del Sacramento

established Colónia do Sacramento in 1680. Following the restoration of the Portuguese crown, King Peter II sought the resolution of the southern border of Brazil. Manuel Lobo with 5 ships containing about 400 soldiers, craftsmen, carpenters and stonecutters, and 18 guns, reached San Gabriel Island on 20 January 1680. On 28 January, they commenced establishing a post. José de Garro sent spies from Santo Domingo de Soriano on 22 February 1680, after receiving a negative response on 10 February to his ultimatum to leave the site. Garro sent a force of 3,400 men under the command of Antonio de Vera Mujica, capturing the besieged town on the night of 6–7 August 1680. Lobo was taken as a prisoner to Buenos Aires, where he died on 7 January 1683. A treaty between Spain and Portugal signed in 1681 returned Colonia to Portugal. Timeline of rule The rule from 1680 to present (with flag of the period) is: ==Population==

In 2023 Colonia del Sacramento had a population of 32,174. Source: National Statistics Institute ==Geography==

Climate Colonia del Sacramento has a mild humid subtropical climate, described by the Köppen climate classification as Cfa. Summers are warm and winters are cool, with relatively frequent frosts and fog. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,039 mm (40.91 in), and the annual average temperature is 17 °C (63 °F). }} ==Urban fabric==

The city was developed on a peninsula that protrudes into the Río de la Plata. The 16-hectare "Barrio Histórico", or Portuguese Old City, was enclosed by a fortification wall across the peninsula in the site of present-day Calle Ituzaingó. Most of the fortification wall was removed in 1777 and some remaining parts again in 1859. The Portuguese part of the city has an irregular street network. Outside the wall, the historical part of the city was planned in the Spanish colonial style and in the characteristic checkerboard layout. ==Sport==

The local professional football team is Plaza Colonia, founded in 1917, playing at the Estadio Profesor Alberto Suppici. They won the 2016 Clausura, their biggest success to date. Deportivo Colonia, founded in 1999, lost its professional status in 2007. They play at the Estadio Miguel Campomar. Club Atlético Plaza has futsal, volleyball and basketball sections, as well as a football section based at Estadio Néstor Naviliat. The town's Plaza de toros Real de San Carlos is a disused bullring which has been renovated and repurposed as a performing arts venue. ==Points of interest==

The Barrio Histórico (historic quarter) section of Colonia del Sacramento is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It has some cobblestone streets built by the Portuguese in the 17th century, and is within walking distance of the town's ferry terminal. Among the tourist attractions around the tree-lined Plaza Mayor (main square) are: • Portón de Campo – the City Gate and wooden drawbridge • Lighthouse and convent ruins of the 17th-century Convent of San Francisco • Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento – the Basilica of the Holy Sacrament, built of stone by the Portuguese in 1808 • Portuguese Museum – constructed in the 18th century, it exhibits Portuguese furnishings, jewelry, uniforms and old maps of Portuguese naval expeditions • Casa de Nacarello – an 18th-century Portuguese house • Calle de los Suspiros, a historical street • Municipal Museum – rebuilt by the Spanish in 1835 as the Casa del Almirante Brown, it exhibits artifacts and documents of the city's different periods and cultures • Viceroy's House – the Casa del Virrey, reconstructed from the original ruins • Plaza de toros Real de San Carlos, a former bullring and a current sports and cultural venue ==Gallery==

File:The Attack of Nova Colonia in the River Plate in 1763, under the command of Captain John Macnamara.jpg|The Portuguese led attack on Nova Colonia, 6 January 1763 File:Colonia-map-tiles-TM.jpg|Map of the Old City in ceramic tiles File:Colonia-from Faro-view-TM.jpg|View of the historic district from the top of the lighthouse File:Colo do sac 1.jpg|Portón de Campo, the City Gate File:Colonia-Porton de Campo-murallas-TM.jpg|Another view of the City Gate File:Colonia-Faro-ruinas-TM.jpg|Lighthouse at Colonia del Sacramento File:Colonia-Calle San Pedro-TM.jpg|Calle San Pedro, a typical street in the historic district File:Colonia-Muelle 1866-TM.jpg|The 1866 Wharf of Colonia File:Colonia del Sacramento water front2.JPG|The water front File:ColoniaDelSacramentoCalleReal.jpg|Old car parked on Calle Real in the historic district File:ColoniaDelSacramentoCalleMisionesDeLosTapesDeNoche.JPG|Night at the historic quarter district - "Misiones de los Tapes" Street File:A boat to unite two countries.JPG|The Buquebus seen from the Paseo San Gabriel File:Colonia old city.jpg|Restaurant on a corner File:Colonia del Sacramento art in Uruguay.JPG|Wall art in Colonia del Sacramento File:PortugueseMuseum-Colonia4.jpg|Remains of Portuguese Azulejo ==Transportation==

Colonia del Sacramento is served by three ferry boat lines (1.5 hours) from Buenos Aires, Argentina: "Buquebus", "Colonia Express" and "Seacat Colonia". , 2.5 million people yearly travel across the River Plate. Two principal highways end in Colonia: Route 1 connects Colonia to Montevideo 180 km to the east. Route 21 connects to points north, including the Aarón de Anchorena National Park ( distant), and Fray Bentos where the Libertador General San Martín Bridge (100 km up river) is the last cross-border bridge over the River Plate area; by road over 450 km from Colonia to Buenos Aires. The town is served by Colonia Airport located from Colonia along Route 1. There is a project in process to lengthen the runway from 1,375 m, and begin commercial flights to Buenos Aires (this was done in the past) and other cities within Uruguay. ==Consular representation==

Argentina maintains a consulate in Colonia del Sacramento. ==Twin towns – sister cities==

• Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala • Guimarães, Portugal • Olinda, Brazil • Pelotas, Brazil • Quilmes, Argentina ==See also==