Plaza Independencia is the name of Montevideo

Montevideo

Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...

's most important plaza

Plaza

Plaza is a Spanish word related to "field" which describes an open urban public space, such as a city square. All through Spanish America, the plaza mayor of each center of administration held three closely related institutions: the cathedral, the cabildo or administrative center, which might be...

. It splits Ciudad Vieja

Ciudad Vieja, Montevideo

Ciudad Vieja is the name of the oldest part of the city of Montevideo, capital city of Uruguay. Nowadays, Ciudad Vieja is a barrio of this city. In the last couple of years it has gone through a major transformation that has made it the main nightlife centre in town...

 from downtown Montevideo, with the Gateway of The Citadel on one side and the beginning of 18 de Julio avenue

18 de Julio Avenue

Avenida 18 de Julio, or 18 de Julio Avenue, is the most important avenue in Montevideo, Uruguay. It is named after the date the first Constitution of Uruguay was written: July 18, 1830....

 on the other.

Many important buildings, such as the Solís Theatre

Solís Theatre

Solis Theatre is Uruguay's oldest theatre. It was built in 1856 and is currently owned by the government of Montevideo. It is located in Plaza Independencia ....

 and the workplaces of the 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...

 (both the Estévez Palace

Estévez Palace

The Estévez Palace, or Palacio Estévez, is the oldest working place of the President of Uruguay...

 and the future Executive Tower

Executive Tower

Executive Tower the name of the working place of the President of Uruguay. The original project was started in 1965 as a future Palace of Justice, but the 1973 coup d'état interrupted it....

) are located by this square.

Events

In May and June 2009 an exhibition of the "United Buddy Bears

United Buddy Bears

Buddy Bears are a series of painted, life-size fibreglass bear sculptures originally developed in Berlin, Germany. The first Buddy Bear was created by the German businesspeople Klaus and Eva Herlitz, in cooperation with the sculptor Roman Strobl in 2001....

" was held in the square, for the second on the American continent.

See also

• List of city squares in Montevideo