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Salto, Uruguay

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Salto is a large and busy city in northwestern Uruguay.

Salto Uruguay visto del puerto
Salto Uruguay visto del puerto

It sits on the east bank of the Uruguay River. Across the water, you can see the city of Concordia in Argentina.

Salto Grande dam
Salto Grande dam

A large bridge called the Salto Grande Bridge joins the two countries. This bridge is built on top of the Salto Grande Dam. The city is the second most populated place in Uruguay. As of the 2023 census, 114,084 people live there.

Calle en Salto
Calle en Salto

The city is built on hills and bluffs. The land near the river bank is low and flat. The weather is a humid subtropical climate. This means summers are sunny and hot with heavy rain. Winters stay mild and not too cold.

Homenaje a Eladio Dieste monumento Salto 01
Homenaje a Eladio Dieste monumento Salto 01

Because it is near certain areas, the city must watch for mosquitoes. These insects can carry diseases like dengue fever. People often visit the thermal pools near the city. The water stays over 38 °C all year long.

Salto has a very long history. The first settlement began on 8 November 1756. It started when Governor Viana built barracks for his army. These soldiers lived by hunting and fishing. Later, a strong fort called San Antonio was built in 1757. The fort had a small chapel inside it. In 1811, many people camped on the Uruguay River near Salto. This group was part of the Exodus of the Western People. They included 6,000 military people and 4,500 civilians.

The city has changed many times over the years. It was first called a village, or "Pueblo." In 1835, it became a town known as a "Villa." Then, in 1837, it became the capital of its department. By 1863, Salto was officially called a "Ciudad," which means city.

MuseoFachadaSalto
MuseoFachadaSalto

Today, the city center is on Calle Uruguay. This is the heart of the business district. Many historic buildings stand in this area. The tallest building in the city is called "El Mirador."

Many interesting things can be found in Salto. You can see a memorial called "The Seagull." It honors an engineer named Eladio Dieste. He designed many buildings in the city.

Homenaje a Eladio Dieste monumento Salto 01
Homenaje a Eladio Dieste monumento Salto 01

The city is also home to the Museo del Hombre y la Tecnología.

MuseoFachadaSalto
MuseoFachadaSalto

Famous people were born here too. Soccer stars Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani are from Salto.

Uruguay 2 - England 1 - Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani
Uruguay 2 - England 1 - Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani

Local people enjoy drinking mate and walking on the streets. It is a place with many special things to see.

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🖼️ Images & Media (6)
File:Salto Grande dam.JPG
Salto Grande dam.JPG
File:Homenaje a Eladio Dieste monumento Salto 01.jpg
Homenaje a Eladio Dieste monumento Salto 01.jpg
File:MuseoFachadaSalto.jpg
MuseoFachadaSalto.jpg
File:Salto Uruguay visto del puerto.jpg
Salto Uruguay visto del puerto.jpg
File:Calle en Salto.jpg
Calle en Salto.jpg
File:Uruguay 2 - England 1 - Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.jpg
Uruguay 2 - England 1 - Luis Suarez and...
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