Taking Freedom For Granite...

Palacio Legislativo is the home of Uruguay's parliament, a bicameral body known as the General Assembly--it consists of an upper and lower chamber, 30 senators and 99 representatives respectively. The Legislative branch shares power with the Executive and Judiciary branches...

With one of the oldest two party democracies in the world, this humble republic has been a model for the governments of other countries...

The building itself is probably the most grandiose and gorgeous structure in Uruguay. We went to take the tour, and were fortunate to be guided by Mabel, the best possible tour guide. Not only has she lead the tours here for 30 years--starting when the military dictatorship was in power!--but she also primarily works as a translator for the government. So, she knew everything, and once she learned about Leandra and I, and our interest and affection for Uruguay, she gave us the extra-special in-depth not-everyone-gets-to-see-this tour filled with historical tidbits, architectural trivia and secret spots!

If you want the whole story, go to www.parlamento.gub.uy and, on the left, read the history of the Parliament, Palacio Legislativo, and their Constitution of the Republic. Each section is incredibly detailed and fascinating--just click the 'English version' under each section title...

Meanwhile, let me show you around inside...
Starting with the grand central hall, resplendent in colored granite--all quarried in Uruguay-- ornate columns and arches, mosaics and statues, and misty stain glass and skylights...


Leaving the main hall we entered...
A side chamber with two desks in alcoves for Uruguay's primary political parties--the Whites and Reds, los Blancos and los Colorados. They both preside over a central room with a grand meeting table resting on a Persian rug under a ceiling of gold leaf surrounded by paintings of famous leaders and events from Uruguay's history...

Today, however, the spectrum of political party membership is much more colorful than the two party system. In fact, several others, including socialists, communists, social democrats, Tupamaros, joined with the Frente Amplio party to claim a majority in the legislature and elect current president Tabaré Vázquez...

Next, we moved into...
The meeting halls of the two legislative bodies. First, we gaped at the chamber for the ninety-nine representatives--it's as impressive as any congressional hall in the world. Above the presiding chairs, carved in granite with huge golden letters are the now immortal words of the national hero, the great liberator who envisioned and inspired independence, General Jose Artigas:

"My authority emanates from you and it ceases before your sovereign presence"

Both halls are open to the public when in session...
To reach the senatorial chamber we had to cross theg reat central hall again, this time from the second floor...


And, halfway there, we came to the government's library and archives, also made available to the public..
In the centerpiece is a copy of a document that has General Artigas' signature...
Leaving the library, we entered the other congressional hall...


Mabel told us she would take us to the tunnel that leads under the streets outside to the Annex, where the Senators and Members of Congress have their offices--a special treat that normally is not part of the tour...
Along the way, we got to see the intricately decorated inner walls of Palacio Legislativo's courtyard...
And a close-up of the symbolic watchtower, supported by two dozen statues of Greek goddesses of justice...
The long subterranean tunnel is lined with historical photos on the right which give a walking slide show of the construction from the rural quarries, to the railways and barges that brought the materials to Montevideo, to the architects, engineers, and everyday workers that planned, positioned and polished every piece of this national treasure...

At the end of the long hall, we took an elevator to the fourth floor of the Annex for a glorious view across the bay...
Montevideo's only modern skyscraper, the Antel Building, towers between the old fort atop Cerro--a "mountain" that supposedly lead to the city's name. No one is sure, but there are two solid theories that smack of the conflict ridden history of this region:

1) It's from Portuguese for "I see a hill", or "monte vide eu"...
2) It's from the Spanish, whose map making navigators labeled this harbor according to the natural landmark, "Mountain 6 from east to west" or "Monte VI deo", the last three letters being "de este a oeste"
Then, the tour was over. After more than a year in Uruguay, we had finally seen the most magnificent building in the country...

We went outside for some final shots...