Capurro
Encyclopedia
Capurro is a barrio
(neighbourhood or district) of Montevideo
, Uruguay
, and part of the Capurro / Bella Vista composite barrio, with Artigas Boulevard
separating the two. It shares borders with La Teja
to the north west, Prado
to the north east, Bella Vista
to the south east and it borders the Bay of Montevideo
to the south west.
The name and foundation of Capurro are related to the Genoan mariner Giovanni Battista Capurro. He arrived in the country at the time of the first Constitution and acquired coastal land in this area around 1830. His home, which was surrounded by wonderful gardens, took on the name "Mecca". The area he acquired was rich in springs and wells of fresh water and had a lot of sand. Capurro started selling fresh water to ships returning to Europe, as well as sand for ballast
, causing the sand of the beach to dwindle away.
In 1869, the "Compañía de Tranvías al Paso del Molino y Cerro" established a line of horsecar
s which connected Montevideo with the Villa del Cerro
. This line brought many visitors to the area around the beach, which was called Playa Honda, transforming it into a relaxation and recreation area. The sons of Capurro started planning to build a big hotel, but the economic crisis of the 1890s stopped their plans. Instead, in 1910, a park was founded in its place, called Parque Capurro. It was designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Veltroni.
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
(neighbourhood or district) 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...
, 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...
, and part of the Capurro / Bella Vista composite barrio, with Artigas Boulevard
Artigas Boulevard
Artigas Boulevard is an avenue in Montevideo named after Uruguayan hero José Artigas. It starts from the Rambla of Montevideo at Punta Carretas, goes north for about 6.5 kilometers, turns 100º west, and runs for another 4 kilometers up to the Rambla at Capurro - Bella Vista.It meets with...
separating the two. It shares borders with La Teja
La Teja
La Teja is a barrio of Montevideo, Uruguay. It shares borders with Tres Ombúes to the north west, Belvedere to the north, the Prado / Nueva Savona barrio to the north east, Capurro to the south east and borders the Bay of Montevideo to the south...
to the north west, Prado
Prado, Montevideo
Prado is a barrio and a major public park in Montevideo, Uruguay. Together with Nueva Savona, they form the Prado - Nueva Savona composite barrio....
to the north east, Bella Vista
Bella Vista, Montevideo
Bella Vista is a barrio of Montevideo, Uruguay and part of the Capurro / Bella Vista composite barrio, with Artigas Boulevard separating the two...
to the south east and it borders the Bay of Montevideo
Bay of Montevideo
The Bay of Montevideo refers to the bay around the city of Montevideo, Uruguay in the Rio de la Plata.It was previously named by Pedro de Mendoza as "Bahía de la Candelaria".- Description :...
to the south west.
History
The early history of the area was marked by the trade of slaves from Africa. Slave trading ships had first arrived in Montevideo in 1743. The Spanish company Real Compañía de Filipinas, after its first such import in 1787, was forced by the government to build quaranteen barracks for the slaves, for the protection from epidemic diseases. These barracks, that came to be knwon as "Caserío de los Negros", were built in the coast of Capurro. After the declaration of Independence, they were demolished.The name and foundation of Capurro are related to the Genoan mariner Giovanni Battista Capurro. He arrived in the country at the time of the first Constitution and acquired coastal land in this area around 1830. His home, which was surrounded by wonderful gardens, took on the name "Mecca". The area he acquired was rich in springs and wells of fresh water and had a lot of sand. Capurro started selling fresh water to ships returning to Europe, as well as sand for ballast
Sailing ballast
Ballast is used in sailboats to provide moment to resist the lateral forces on the sail. Insufficiently ballasted boats will tend to tip, or heel, excessively in high winds. Too much heel may result in the boat capsizing. If a sailing vessel should need to voyage without cargo then ballast of...
, causing the sand of the beach to dwindle away.
In 1869, the "Compañía de Tranvías al Paso del Molino y Cerro" established a line of horsecar
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
s which connected Montevideo with the Villa del Cerro
Villa del Cerro
Villa del Cerro is a barrio of Montevideo, Uruguay. It borders Pajas Blancas to the west, La Paloma to the north, the Pantanoso River to the northeast, the Bay of Montevideo to the east and the coastline after the bay to the south, where the beach of the Cerro is located.- External links :* *...
. This line brought many visitors to the area around the beach, which was called Playa Honda, transforming it into a relaxation and recreation area. The sons of Capurro started planning to build a big hotel, but the economic crisis of the 1890s stopped their plans. Instead, in 1910, a park was founded in its place, called Parque Capurro. It was designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Veltroni.