Remains of the Puerta de la Ciudadela

The city of Montevideo, Uruguay, once belonged to the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata, under the control of the Spanish Crown. It was officially founded in 1724. Around this time, the government constructed a wall around the city. Such walls served important defensive purposes, especially for places like Montevideo, which directly bordered the sprawling Portuguese territory of Brazil. This photo captures one of the last sections of the wall that still stands today. It is located in the Plaza Independencia, the historic heart of the city.