PALACIO DE CORREOS

Often considered one of the most emblematic buildings in the city, the central building of the Correo Uruguayo was built by the company E. Chiancone y Cia, under the direction of Mr. Enrique Chiancone at the beginning of the ^20th century, and was inaugurated in 1925. Declared a national historic monument, it consists of four floors of reinforced concrete. At the corner of Misiones and Buenos Aires streets, above the entrance door, a 63-meter tower rises above the building in the old city. The building was originally assigned to the political headquarters, currently the police headquarters in the department of Minas (Lavalleja), at the request of José Batlle y Ordoñez, who by appointment of Máximo Tajes held the position of political leader.

The large hall that occupies the center of the building is covered by a large skylight, an architectural work that allows natural lighting. The marble was specially brought from Carrara, Italy. The statue of José Gervasio Artigas, located in the center of the hall, is a gift from the officials to the Direccion Nacional de Correos. It was made by the sculptor Carlos M. Martinez, and delivered on June 19, 1960. Today we can admire the sculptures that adorn the entrance staircase, on the magnificent marble flooring, works executed by Uruguayan artists, among them José Luis Zorilla de San Martín, Barbieri Bernabé Michelena and Moler de Barb. At the end of the main hall, to the left, is a century-old elevator that is still in working order.