Castillo Morató: a lost castle on the Uruguayan plains

Some places seem as though they were made to amaze. Deep in the Paysandú Department, amid endless green plains, lies a true architectural masterpiece: Castillo Morató, a castle few have heard of but that is well worth visiting.

##

Where is it?

Just 25 kilometres from the tiny settlement of Morató, in Tres Árboles, stands Estancia Buen Retiro: an old estate with a unique early twentieth-century castle that has preserved not only its walls, but the spirit of a bygone era.

A little history: from the missionary era to the Art Nouveau period

The land where the castle stands remembers the Jesuit missions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Missionaries, Guaraní people and Creoles once lived and worked here. Centuries later, in the early 1900s, Francisco León Barreto and his son-in-law Ovidio Morató built a real castle here, inspired by Florence and ancient Rome.

It was not simply an eccentric whim of a wealthy landowner. The complex was ahead of its time: the region’s first hot and cold running water, electricity supplied by batteries, telephone service and irrigation channels, plus farm production of milk, cheese and horses for export.

Architecture that impresses

The castle seems assembled from pieces of different eras:

• One courtyard is inspired by Renaissance Tuscany, the other by Roman antiquity.
• Massive walls of local stone, terracotta roof tiles, elegant balconies and colonnades.
• Inside are elegant drawing rooms, bedrooms with antique furniture and the unhurried spirit of provincial Uruguay at the start of the last century.

Seen from above (and thanks to local enthusiasts, you can see it on YouTube), the castle resembles a fairy-tale oasis amid silent meadows.

Legends and mysteries

They say General Fructuoso Rivera, Uruguay’s first president, used to visit the place and liked to watch sunrises by the old Buen Retiro chapel. During the years of independence and revolutions, the estate saw both turbulent and peaceful times. Officers, Guaraní people, farmers and romantics walked these paths.

Why it is worth going

It is a rare chance to immerse yourself in real history and see what early twentieth-century Uruguayan ‘provincial chic’ was like. With peace and quiet, seclusion and beautiful views, it is an ideal weekend escape from Montevideo or Colonia for people who love architecture, history and photography.

Useful to know

• It is in the Paysandú Department, two hours’ drive from the city of Paysandú.
• The castle has been declared a National Historic Monument.
• It is best to travel by car; the road passes through scenic Uruguayan landscapes.
• Before the trip, watch this video tour: Drone Control.doc on YouTube.

A guide’s tip: bring a camera or drone — this place is made for people who love photography. And if you meet the estancia’s hosts, try the local cheese or homemade wine.