Which city in Uruguay is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its well-preserved colonial quarter?

The city in Uruguay whose well-preserved colonial quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage site is Colonia del Sacramento.

Founded by the Portuguese in 1680 on the Río de la Plata, Colonia became a strategic settlement opposite Buenos Aires. Its historic quarter preserves a distinctive mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, and later regional influences, including irregular streets, colonial houses, defensive walls, and the surviving city gate.

UNESCO inscribed the Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento in 1995, recognizing it as an example of a historic settlement that retains its original urban character. The quarter is often called the Barrio Histórico and includes landmarks such as the Portón de Campo, the ruins of the Convent of San Francisco, and the lighthouse.

A common mix-up is to name Montevideo, Uruguay’s capital, or Punta del Este, the country’s best-known resort city. Neither is the colonial World Heritage site described here. The UNESCO designation applies specifically to Colonia’s historic quarter, rather than automatically to the entire modern city.