Retracing Garibaldi’s Steps in Uruguay


Before he became known as a key figure in the struggle for Italian unification, Giuseppe Garibaldi played a military role in helping to defend the city of Montevideo from Argentine proto-dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas.

Garibaldi’s house in Montevideo.

To this day, Uruguayans honor the role of Garibaldi in their own independence struggle.

Honorary statue of Garibaldi in the northern Uruguayan town of Salto.

Colonia de Sacramento, a sleepy disembarkation point for travelers hailing from Argentina, was once the site of a military battle between Garibaldi and Rosas’ forces.

Garibaldi fought alongside colorful gauchos, South American cowboys.

Silver gaucho spurs at the gaucho museum in Montevideo.
Portrait of a woman fighting for Montevideo’s freedom, taken from the Cabildo museum in Montevideo.
A patriotic fan from the era of Garibaldi.

Joined by the British and French, who were intent on securing maritime navigation, Garibaldi campaigned along the Uruguay river bordering Argentina.

The town of Paysandú lies on the Uruguay river with Argentina on the other side of the bank.
Typical vegetation along the Uruguay river.

The British, who intervened to help Montevideo, sometimes referred to Uruguay as their “informal empire.”

Historic joint British-Uruguayan railway in Paysandú.

The town of Salto, site of Garibaldi’s campaigns, still retains much of its historic character.


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