Melo
Encyclopedia
Melo is the capital city of the Cerro Largo Department
of north-eastern Uruguay
. It is located at the centre of the department, on the intersection of Route 7
with Route 8
, 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) south of Aceguá
and the border with Brazil
. Other primary roads to the city are Route 26 and Route 44. The stream Arroyo Conventos (a tributary of Tacuarí River) flows by the west limits of the city. The status of Melo was elevated to "City" category on 22 May 1895 by decree Ley No. 2.3279.
.
Given its proximity to some Portuguese
colonies in Brazil, the "Melo Village" (in Spanish
, "Villa de Melo"), as it was once named, it was invaded by Portuguese forces in 1801, 1811, and 1816. With Uruguayan independence, Melo was officially declared capital of the department of Cerro Largo.
In 1845, the city square was renamed in honor of Manuel Oribe
, a former President of Uruguay
and a political leader of the White Party (Partido Blanco), which brought to light the relations of this corner of the country with that National Movement (the vast majority of its inhabitants have belonged to that same political community).
The historian J.C. Chasteen has discussed the place of Melo in the history of Uruguay
in his book "Heroes on Horseback: A Life and Times of the Last Gaucho Caudillos".
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
, described by the Köppen climate classification
as Cfa. Summers are warm (with hot days and cool nights) and winters are cool, with frequent frost
s and fog
. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,241 mm (48.85 in), and the annual average temperature is 17 °C (63 °F).
This city has the lowest recorded temperature in Uruguay, of -11 °C (12.2 °F), on June 14, 1967.
, a stone inn near an ancient bridge over the Chuy del Tacuarí creek.
The Conventos Stream, which was once used for boat races carried out by the Club Remeros Melo, has become severely polluted over time and was consequently forbidden to public access. Melo is still an old-fashioned city with low buildings, and a hellhole of stultifying boredness, daily irrigated by cheap Brazilian liquor.
Melo was visited by the Pope John Paul II in 1988. This formed the background to the 2006 film "El Baño del Papa" ("The Pope's Toilet") about an enterprising citizen with the ill-fated idea of making money by building a toilet and charging the hordes of Brazilians expected to visit Melo to see the Pope.
Cerro Largo Department
Cerro Largo Department is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Melo.-History:During the 19th and early 20th centuries, when intermittent periods of civil war occurred in Uruguay, the department was a stronghold of the Blanco party...
of north-eastern Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. It is located at the centre of the department, on the intersection of Route 7
Route 7 (Uruguay)
Route 7 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1981, it was assigned the name General Aparicio Saravia, a national hero of Uruguay. It connects Montevideo with Melo in the northeast...
with Route 8
Route 8 (Uruguay)
Route 8 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1975, it was assigned the name Brigadier General Juan Antonio Lavalleja, a national hero of Uruguay...
, 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) south of Aceguá
Aceguá, Uruguay
Aceguá, Uruguay is the Uruguayan part of a town in the Cerro Largo Department of eastern Uruguay. It is located on Route 8, on the border with Brazil...
and the border with Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Other primary roads to the city are Route 26 and Route 44. The stream Arroyo Conventos (a tributary of Tacuarí River) flows by the west limits of the city. The status of Melo was elevated to "City" category on 22 May 1895 by decree Ley No. 2.3279.
History
It was founded on June 27, 1795 by Agustín de la Rosa, an officer to the Spanish EmpireSpanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
.
Given its proximity to some Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colonies in Brazil, the "Melo Village" (in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, "Villa de Melo"), as it was once named, it was invaded by Portuguese forces in 1801, 1811, and 1816. With Uruguayan independence, Melo was officially declared capital of the department of Cerro Largo.
In 1845, the city square was renamed in honor of Manuel Oribe
Manuel Oribe
Manuel Ceferino Oribe y Viana was the fourth president of Uruguay.-Biography:Manuel Oribe was the son of Captain Francisco Oribe and María Francisca Viana, a descendant of the first governor of Montevideo, José Joaquín de Viana...
, a former President of Uruguay
President of Uruguay
The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...
and a political leader of the White Party (Partido Blanco), which brought to light the relations of this corner of the country with that National Movement (the vast majority of its inhabitants have belonged to that same political community).
The historian J.C. Chasteen has discussed the place of Melo in the history of Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in his book "Heroes on Horseback: A Life and Times of the Last Gaucho Caudillos".
Population
In 2004 Melo had a population of 50,578 inhabitants.| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 33,387 |
| 1975 | 38,487 |
| 1985 | 42,245 |
| 1996 | 46,883 |
| 2004 | 50,578 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Climate
Melo has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
, described by the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
as Cfa. Summers are warm (with hot days and cool nights) and winters are cool, with frequent frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
s and fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with an average of 1,241 mm (48.85 in), and the annual average temperature is 17 °C (63 °F).
This city has the lowest recorded temperature in Uruguay, of -11 °C (12.2 °F), on June 14, 1967.
Features
Near Melo is situated the old Posta del ChuyPosta del Chuy
The old Posta del Chuy is an inn situated 12 km away from Melo, Cerro Largo, Uruguay.-History:The inn was intended for travelers going by diligence from Melo to Villa Artigas ....
, a stone inn near an ancient bridge over the Chuy del Tacuarí creek.
The Conventos Stream, which was once used for boat races carried out by the Club Remeros Melo, has become severely polluted over time and was consequently forbidden to public access. Melo is still an old-fashioned city with low buildings, and a hellhole of stultifying boredness, daily irrigated by cheap Brazilian liquor.
Melo was visited by the Pope John Paul II in 1988. This formed the background to the 2006 film "El Baño del Papa" ("The Pope's Toilet") about an enterprising citizen with the ill-fated idea of making money by building a toilet and charging the hordes of Brazilians expected to visit Melo to see the Pope.