Chuy
Encyclopedia
Chuy (ˈtʃwi) is a town in the extreme east of Uruguay
, in the Rocha Department
, 340 kilometres (211 mi) northeast of Montevideo
. It lies on the border with Brazil
, separated from its Brazilian sister town of Chui
only by a shared avenue that serves as the border, and by the Arroyo Chuy (stream) to the east. In 2004, it had a population of 10,401 inhabitants.
, "Chui" was also the name the Indians gave a yellow-breasted bird, native and common in the marshes of the area. According to Tancredo Blotta, chuy is a compound word which should be translated as "river of brown water".
The Brazilian historian Péricles Azambuja
alludes to a rumor that the word (originally Chyu) would have been brought by former tribes who migrated from the Andes
. A Quechua word, achuy had the meaning of "teaching" through storytelling, thus chuy'o would be "master " or "narrator."
In a different context, chuy can be seen to mean a small frog or toad in the water, a small turtle or small horse. Advocates of some of these theories base their beliefs on the fact that the stream, and watercourse, is insignificant compared to others in the area.
and Spain
began the occupation of the Banda Oriental
; they succeeding in founding Colonia del Sacramento
in 1680, Montevideo
in 1726, the Fuerte de San Miguel in 1737, and the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
in 1762. The Treaty of Madrid (1750)
settled boundaries between the mouth of the creek Valizas and Cabo Polonio. By order of the Governor of Montevideo, José Joaquín de Viana
, in 1751, frontier military posts were created, with colonial guards on both sides of the Chuy stream, the result of the discussions that had prevailed in the courts of the Spanish and Portuguese crowns. The treaty expired in 1761 with the signing of the Treaty of El Pardo
. In Europe came the Seven Years War. At that time, Pedro de Cevallos ousted the Portuguese colony of Santa Teresa and San Miguel, and Chuy came to dominate the southern Rio Grande do Sul. The situation was unstable, however, and the signing of the Treaty of San Ildefonso
on October 1, 1777 led to a clearer demarcation of dominions in South America.
In 1762 after the surrender of Colonia del Sacramento, Pedro de Cevallos went to the Portuguese, demanding the "eviction of the Yacuí River and areas of Rio Pardo, Santo Amaro, Rio Grande, San Gonzalo, San Miguel and Chuy, as well as Martín García Island and Dos Hermanas Island." In 1763, the Military Command at Maldonado
was created to take care of security in the east. Eventually, however, Spain would lose influence over these territories.
For the sake of demarcating the Hispano-Lusitanian boundary, both Spain and Portugal brought to the area a significant number of scientists. Work in the Guardia de Chuy began in February 1784.
It is presumed that in 1826, there was a farmhouse in Chuy, as Leonardo Olivera after the famous Sableada del Chuy, on the first day of the year, he wrote that it was a surprise to Brazilians, "leaving over twenty dead behind, as I mentioned to Your Excellency, I left a captain and a wounded soldier in a house of Chuy, not knowing where to take them, so that a certain family would take care of their wounds." The 1861 map of the area by Emilio Laviña includes a ranch, stalls and a store belonging to the firm Peyre Seijo & Co. In addition to this general trade store, there existed a chemist and a teacher named Marcelino Villazuso, who gave private lessons for many years. The growing importance of this border and the existence of military posts on the Brazilian side, prompted the authorities to install a police station or Comandancia de Frontera depending on Maldonado in 1872.
In 1888, the town was recognized as such by the department. The Economic Administrative Board Rocha urged neighbours to form a Neighbourhood Commission (first authorities to address local issues), and these were grouped immediately notifying the Honourable Board Rocha.
Uruguay and Brazil inherited differences resulting from the ongoing litigation, which would be amended in repeated boundary treaties with the placement of boundary markers in the twentieth century. On 7 May 1913, a convention was signed to amend the limit on the San Miguel river. On 20 December 1933 a Legal Status of Border was established and on 21 July 1972 bilateral notices were exchanged about the waterfront borders at the height of the mouth of the creek Chuy.
By the Act of 14 January 1938, Chuy was recognized as a village. On 29 June 1961, it was upgraded to town. Finally, on 11 December 1981, Chuy was declared a city.
, 340 kilometres northeast of the capital, Montevideo
, and only a few feet from Brazil's Route BR 471. Chuy is only 15 km from the Atlantic Ocean, and in the northern hinterland is located a similar distance from the Lagoa Mirim
.
The BR 471 in Brazil running from Porto Alegre and Pelotas borders the Chui town and passes through to Uruguay where it becomes Ruta 9. Each country’s immigration office is located at the entry to the town. The main street, which is a two-lane road, is known as Avenida Uruguai ("Uruguay Avenue") in Brazil and as it passes to Uruguay, its name changes to Avenida Brasil ("Brazil Avenue"). The Brazilian town, Chui, has shops selling clothes, shoes and household goods while on the Uruguayan side, Chuy has duty free shops and a casino.
Chuy is one of the easternmost settlements in Uruguay, separated from Brazil by the Chui Stream
. The Chui rises in a small swamp
in the sand
y coastal plain
s of far southern state of Rio Grande do Sul
, Brazil
, runs initially southward, then turns east before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean
. The Chui is only a few tens of kilometres long and its water volume is unimpressive; indeed, this is why it is called an arroio or arroyo, a stream rather than a river. It would be unremarkable, were it not for the fact that Arroio Chuí is known throughout Brazil as being the country's southernmost point. The actual extreme point is on a bend of the stream approximately 2.7 km (1.7 mi) upstream from its mouth on the sea, near the twin coastal villages of Barra do Chuí (Brazil) and Barra del Chuy
(Uruguay), at 33°45′03.49"S 53°23′40.90"W.
and Portuguese
. The council organizes cultural activities jointly with the neighbouring Brazilian town of the same name as the "Carnival Chuy-Chuí Without Borders".
The demographic evolution is as follows:
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
ian city of Chuí
. Both cities share the main avenue which serves as the borderline. Chuy is a relatively thriving centre for trade with the Brazilians and has several shops to cater for tourists. It is not unusual for Uruguayans from the Montevideo
area to make long journeys in order to make purchases of goods at the Brazilian border which would cost significantly more at home. Many duty-free shops offer spirits, cosmetics, clothing, and luxury goods. Finally, there is a casino in Uruguay's Chuy, whereas gambling is forbidden on the Brazilian side.
and several hostels/apartments. Estadio Samuel Prillac lies in the southeastern part of the town. The town is served by Chuy Hospital in the southern-central part. Another landmark near Chuy is the lighthouse 10 km away near the Barro du Chui inlet. Beaches here are relatively free of crowds, and sea lions can be spotted in the area.
, 8 kilometres to the west, was built on top of a hill in 1737 (construction was started in 1734) with a square plan by the Portuguese. The fort, built with large and heavy stones to create the tall towers (four bastions), thick walls and sturdy ramparts to withstand onslaught of wars that were fought against the Spanish invaders was instrumental in Uruguay evolving as an independent nation. It was built in pink granite stones, is surrounded by a moat, and has been fully restored. It is located in the town of Dieciocho de Julio
, 8 km west of Chui along a winding hill road.
However, over the years after the independence of Uruguay, the fort's walls started crumbling as it remained untended. The townspeople decided to get the hill top fort restored in 1927. The restoration work was entrusted to Horacio Arredondo, an archaeologist of repute with experience in similar restoration works of another old fort, the Santa Teresa. It is now reconstructed with period architectural artefacts. The refurbished fort still maintains the old moat with the draw bridge that was used as an access to the fort during wars after it was built, and is surrounded by a well-tended garden. As a protected area, the diverse natural ecosystems has also been retained where native wildlife of Monkeys, birds, capybaras and guazubira are seen in the forests and marshland.
Under the administration of the Army, the structure is permanently open to visitors, harbouring a Museum of Military History, which highlights the collection of historical uniforms of the garrison, and the sample of the historical evolution of Army uniforms.
which was declared a National Historic Monument by Law on December 26, 1927 has rich history of battles. It lies within the Parque Nacional de Santa Teresa 36 kilometres to the south.
The fort erected in October 1762 witnessed many battles for its control. The Portuguese built it in 1762 in anticipation of war with Spain at the La Angostura path to Castillos Chico. Coronel Tomas Luis Onsorio started building the fort. However, construction was stopped in 1763 when Don Pedro de Cevallos Governor from Buenos Aires' captured the forts of Santa Teresa and also San Miguel. Construction of the fort was restarted in 1763 by the Spanish. The fort was built to an irregular pentagon plan with five bastions. It has a perimeter of 942 metres.
In 1797, to maintain law and order in the region, the Veteran Force of Blandengues of the Montevideo Border established in 1796, made it their headquarters. It came under Portuguese control during the Eastern Revolution after the Patriots were defeated. However, in 1812, the Patriots recaptured the Fort to exercise control over the border with Portugal. In 1816, the Portuguese invaded again and captured the fort along with the Eastern Province. The Liberty Crusade recovered it in 1825. In 1826, Coronel Leonardo Olivera of the Patriot Troops captured the fort. Finally, following the signing of the Preliminary Convention of Peace genesis by the Eastern State of Uruguay, and in 1828, with the signing of the Preliminary Convention of Peace agreement by the Eastern State of Uruguay, the Fort’s importance declined. It was abandoned. The fort is now part of the San Miguel National Park, named after the fort, covering 3,000 hectares. The fort has been restored and is now major attraction for visitors to the park. The park also provides other attractions such as beautiful beaches and forested areas. The Uruguay army is in charge of the management and maintenance of Santa Teresa. It is located 36 kilometres south of Chuy, about 800 metres from the coast at Playa la Moza.
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 the Rocha Department
Rocha Department
Rocha is a department in the east of Uruguay. It has natural beauties like Cabo Polonio, Valizas, Santa Teresa. Rocha is well known for its beach towns which swell during the summer holidays...
, 340 kilometres (211 mi) northeast 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...
. It lies on 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...
, separated from its Brazilian sister town of Chui
Chui, Rio Grande do Sul
Chuí is a town located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A border town, it shares its name with sister city Chuy, Uruguay. The two towns are contiguous and separated only by a street border, the Avenida Internacional, a situation also seen in a few other Brazilian border points, such as...
only by a shared avenue that serves as the border, and by the Arroyo Chuy (stream) to the east. In 2004, it had a population of 10,401 inhabitants.
Etymology
The word "Chuy", according to most scholars, comes from the Tupí Guaraní language. The Indians had designated the small brook on whose banks the town would emerge with the same name. According to Daniel GranadaDaniel Granada
Daniel Granada was a Spanish-Uruguayan philologist and writer, based in Montevideo, Uruguay for much of his life, based there from the 1850s until 1904 when he returned to Spain....
, "Chui" was also the name the Indians gave a yellow-breasted bird, native and common in the marshes of the area. According to Tancredo Blotta, chuy is a compound word which should be translated as "river of brown water".
The Brazilian historian Péricles Azambuja
Péricles Azambuja
Péricles Azambuja is a Brazilian historian, writer and journalist. He is a specialist in and has published many books related to the history of southern Brazil and southern South America and Antarctica, including História das Terras e Mares do Chuí , a history of Chuí...
alludes to a rumor that the word (originally Chyu) would have been brought by former tribes who migrated from the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. A Quechua word, achuy had the meaning of "teaching" through storytelling, thus chuy'o would be "master " or "narrator."
In a different context, chuy can be seen to mean a small frog or toad in the water, a small turtle or small horse. Advocates of some of these theories base their beliefs on the fact that the stream, and watercourse, is insignificant compared to others in the area.
History
In the late 17th century, PortugalPortugal
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...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
began the occupation of the Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
; they succeeding in founding Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
in 1680, 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...
in 1726, the Fuerte de San Miguel in 1737, and the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, or Fortaleza Santa Tereza is a military fortification located 36 kilometers south of Chuy and 305 kilometres northeast of Montevideo on Route 9, in the Rocha Department of eastern Uruguay...
in 1762. The Treaty of Madrid (1750)
Treaty of Madrid (1750)
The Spanish–Portuguese treaty of 1750 or Treaty of Madrid was a document signed by Ferdinand VI of Spain and John V of Portugal on January 13, 1750, concerning their empires and status of their territories in what is now Brazil....
settled boundaries between the mouth of the creek Valizas and Cabo Polonio. By order of the Governor of Montevideo, José Joaquín de Viana
José Joaquín de Viana
José Joaquín de Viana was a Spanish military and political figure, Governor of Montevideo between 1751 and 1764 and 1771 and 1773.-Biography:...
, in 1751, frontier military posts were created, with colonial guards on both sides of the Chuy stream, the result of the discussions that had prevailed in the courts of the Spanish and Portuguese crowns. The treaty expired in 1761 with the signing of the Treaty of El Pardo
Treaty of El Pardo (1761)
The Treaty of El Pardo was signed on February 12, 1761 between representatives of the Spanish Empire and the Portuguese Empire.Based on the terms of the treaty, all aspects of the Treaty of Madrid were repealed...
. In Europe came the Seven Years War. At that time, Pedro de Cevallos ousted the Portuguese colony of Santa Teresa and San Miguel, and Chuy came to dominate the southern Rio Grande do Sul. The situation was unstable, however, and the signing of the Treaty of San Ildefonso
First Treaty of San Ildefonso
The First Treaty of San Ildefonso was signed on October 1, 1777 between the Spanish Empire and the Portuguese Empire, shortly after the crowning of Mary I of Portugal and dismissal of Sebastião de Melo, Marquis of Pombal as de facto ruler of Portugal....
on October 1, 1777 led to a clearer demarcation of dominions in South America.
In 1762 after the surrender of Colonia del Sacramento, Pedro de Cevallos went to the Portuguese, demanding the "eviction of the Yacuí River and areas of Rio Pardo, Santo Amaro, Rio Grande, San Gonzalo, San Miguel and Chuy, as well as Martín García Island and Dos Hermanas Island." In 1763, the Military Command at Maldonado
Maldonado
Maldonado may refer to:In places:*Maldonado, Uruguay, a city in the Maldonado Department of Uruguay*Maldonado Department of Uruguay*Pedro Vicente Maldonado, a canton of Ecuador*Puerto Maldonado, a city in Peru...
was created to take care of security in the east. Eventually, however, Spain would lose influence over these territories.
For the sake of demarcating the Hispano-Lusitanian boundary, both Spain and Portugal brought to the area a significant number of scientists. Work in the Guardia de Chuy began in February 1784.
It is presumed that in 1826, there was a farmhouse in Chuy, as Leonardo Olivera after the famous Sableada del Chuy, on the first day of the year, he wrote that it was a surprise to Brazilians, "leaving over twenty dead behind, as I mentioned to Your Excellency, I left a captain and a wounded soldier in a house of Chuy, not knowing where to take them, so that a certain family would take care of their wounds." The 1861 map of the area by Emilio Laviña includes a ranch, stalls and a store belonging to the firm Peyre Seijo & Co. In addition to this general trade store, there existed a chemist and a teacher named Marcelino Villazuso, who gave private lessons for many years. The growing importance of this border and the existence of military posts on the Brazilian side, prompted the authorities to install a police station or Comandancia de Frontera depending on Maldonado in 1872.
In 1888, the town was recognized as such by the department. The Economic Administrative Board Rocha urged neighbours to form a Neighbourhood Commission (first authorities to address local issues), and these were grouped immediately notifying the Honourable Board Rocha.
Uruguay and Brazil inherited differences resulting from the ongoing litigation, which would be amended in repeated boundary treaties with the placement of boundary markers in the twentieth century. On 7 May 1913, a convention was signed to amend the limit on the San Miguel river. On 20 December 1933 a Legal Status of Border was established and on 21 July 1972 bilateral notices were exchanged about the waterfront borders at the height of the mouth of the creek Chuy.
By the Act of 14 January 1938, Chuy was recognized as a village. On 29 June 1961, it was upgraded to town. Finally, on 11 December 1981, Chuy was declared a city.
Geography
The town lies on National Route 9Route 9 (Uruguay)
Route 9 is a national route of Uruguay. In 1975, it was assigned the name Coronel Leonardo Olivera, a national hero of Uruguay. It connects Dr. Francisco Soca with Chuy in the northeast....
, 340 kilometres northeast of the capital, 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...
, and only a few feet from Brazil's Route BR 471. Chuy is only 15 km from the Atlantic Ocean, and in the northern hinterland is located a similar distance from the Lagoa Mirim
Lagoa Mirim
Lagoa Mirim or Laguna Merín is a large estuarine lagoon which extends from southern Rio Grande do Sul state in Brazil into eastern Uruguay. Lagoa Mirim is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandy, partially barren isthmus....
.
The BR 471 in Brazil running from Porto Alegre and Pelotas borders the Chui town and passes through to Uruguay where it becomes Ruta 9. Each country’s immigration office is located at the entry to the town. The main street, which is a two-lane road, is known as Avenida Uruguai ("Uruguay Avenue") in Brazil and as it passes to Uruguay, its name changes to Avenida Brasil ("Brazil Avenue"). The Brazilian town, Chui, has shops selling clothes, shoes and household goods while on the Uruguayan side, Chuy has duty free shops and a casino.
Chuy is one of the easternmost settlements in Uruguay, separated from Brazil by the Chui Stream
Chui Stream
This article is about the South American stream. For the Central Asian Chu, Chui or Chuy River in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, see Chu River.The Chuí or Chuy Stream is a short stream on the Brazil-Uruguay border that is widely known as Brazil's southernmost point.It rises in a small swamp in the...
. The Chui rises in a small swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
in the sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y coastal plain
Coastal plain
A coastal plain is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a seacoast and separated from the interior by other features. One of the world's longest coastal plains is located in eastern South America. The southwestern coastal plain of North America is notable for its species diversity...
s of far southern state of Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, 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...
, runs initially southward, then turns east before flowing into the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The Chui is only a few tens of kilometres long and its water volume is unimpressive; indeed, this is why it is called an arroio or arroyo, a stream rather than a river. It would be unremarkable, were it not for the fact that Arroio Chuí is known throughout Brazil as being the country's southernmost point. The actual extreme point is on a bend of the stream approximately 2.7 km (1.7 mi) upstream from its mouth on the sea, near the twin coastal villages of Barra do Chuí (Brazil) and Barra del Chuy
Barra del Chuy
Barra del Chuy is a resort in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay. Its name means Mouth of Chui . It is the last coastal resort of Uruguay, bordering Brazil to the southeast with the stream Arroyo Chui as the natural border...
(Uruguay), at 33°45′03.49"S 53°23′40.90"W.
Demographics
The inhabitants of Chuy are mostly Uruguayans and Brazilians, with almost all its residents speaking SpanishSpanish 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...
and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
. The council organizes cultural activities jointly with the neighbouring Brazilian town of the same name as the "Carnival Chuy-Chuí Without Borders".
The demographic evolution is as follows:
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 2,881 |
| 1975 | 4,521 |
| 1985 | 8,257 |
| 1996 | 9,804 |
| 2004 | 10,401 |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay
Economy
It is a border city, adjacent to the BrazilBrazil
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...
ian city of Chuí
Chui, Rio Grande do Sul
Chuí is a town located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A border town, it shares its name with sister city Chuy, Uruguay. The two towns are contiguous and separated only by a street border, the Avenida Internacional, a situation also seen in a few other Brazilian border points, such as...
. Both cities share the main avenue which serves as the borderline. Chuy is a relatively thriving centre for trade with the Brazilians and has several shops to cater for tourists. It is not unusual for Uruguayans from the 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...
area to make long journeys in order to make purchases of goods at the Brazilian border which would cost significantly more at home. Many duty-free shops offer spirits, cosmetics, clothing, and luxury goods. Finally, there is a casino in Uruguay's Chuy, whereas gambling is forbidden on the Brazilian side.
Notable landmarks
Hotels of note include Hotel Internacional, Chuy; Hotel Alerces; Nuevo Hotel Plaza;and several hostels/apartments. Estadio Samuel Prillac lies in the southeastern part of the town. The town is served by Chuy Hospital in the southern-central part. Another landmark near Chuy is the lighthouse 10 km away near the Barro du Chui inlet. Beaches here are relatively free of crowds, and sea lions can be spotted in the area.
Fuerte San Miguel
The Fuerte San MiguelFuerte San Miguel (Uruguay)
Fuerte de San Miguel is a military fortification in the small town of Dieciocho de Julio in the Rocha Department of eastern Uruguay. It was erected in 1737 by the Portuguese, having abandoned the attempt at building a fort in Maldonado...
, 8 kilometres to the west, was built on top of a hill in 1737 (construction was started in 1734) with a square plan by the Portuguese. The fort, built with large and heavy stones to create the tall towers (four bastions), thick walls and sturdy ramparts to withstand onslaught of wars that were fought against the Spanish invaders was instrumental in Uruguay evolving as an independent nation. It was built in pink granite stones, is surrounded by a moat, and has been fully restored. It is located in the town of Dieciocho de Julio
Dieciocho de Julio
Dieciocho de Julio or 18 de Julio is a villa in the Rocha Department of southeastern Uruguay. The town lies about west of Chuy along Route 19. It was elevated to the category of "Villa" on 20 June 1961 by decree Ley No. 12.876...
, 8 km west of Chui along a winding hill road.
However, over the years after the independence of Uruguay, the fort's walls started crumbling as it remained untended. The townspeople decided to get the hill top fort restored in 1927. The restoration work was entrusted to Horacio Arredondo, an archaeologist of repute with experience in similar restoration works of another old fort, the Santa Teresa. It is now reconstructed with period architectural artefacts. The refurbished fort still maintains the old moat with the draw bridge that was used as an access to the fort during wars after it was built, and is surrounded by a well-tended garden. As a protected area, the diverse natural ecosystems has also been retained where native wildlife of Monkeys, birds, capybaras and guazubira are seen in the forests and marshland.
Under the administration of the Army, the structure is permanently open to visitors, harbouring a Museum of Military History, which highlights the collection of historical uniforms of the garrison, and the sample of the historical evolution of Army uniforms.
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa TeresaFortaleza de Santa Teresa
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, or Fortaleza Santa Tereza is a military fortification located 36 kilometers south of Chuy and 305 kilometres northeast of Montevideo on Route 9, in the Rocha Department of eastern Uruguay...
which was declared a National Historic Monument by Law on December 26, 1927 has rich history of battles. It lies within the Parque Nacional de Santa Teresa 36 kilometres to the south.
The fort erected in October 1762 witnessed many battles for its control. The Portuguese built it in 1762 in anticipation of war with Spain at the La Angostura path to Castillos Chico. Coronel Tomas Luis Onsorio started building the fort. However, construction was stopped in 1763 when Don Pedro de Cevallos Governor from Buenos Aires' captured the forts of Santa Teresa and also San Miguel. Construction of the fort was restarted in 1763 by the Spanish. The fort was built to an irregular pentagon plan with five bastions. It has a perimeter of 942 metres.
In 1797, to maintain law and order in the region, the Veteran Force of Blandengues of the Montevideo Border established in 1796, made it their headquarters. It came under Portuguese control during the Eastern Revolution after the Patriots were defeated. However, in 1812, the Patriots recaptured the Fort to exercise control over the border with Portugal. In 1816, the Portuguese invaded again and captured the fort along with the Eastern Province. The Liberty Crusade recovered it in 1825. In 1826, Coronel Leonardo Olivera of the Patriot Troops captured the fort. Finally, following the signing of the Preliminary Convention of Peace genesis by the Eastern State of Uruguay, and in 1828, with the signing of the Preliminary Convention of Peace agreement by the Eastern State of Uruguay, the Fort’s importance declined. It was abandoned. The fort is now part of the San Miguel National Park, named after the fort, covering 3,000 hectares. The fort has been restored and is now major attraction for visitors to the park. The park also provides other attractions such as beautiful beaches and forested areas. The Uruguay army is in charge of the management and maintenance of Santa Teresa. It is located 36 kilometres south of Chuy, about 800 metres from the coast at Playa la Moza.