Colonia del Sacramento

Colonia del Sacramento (kōlō'nyä &thstrok;el säk"rämān'tō) [key], city (1996 pop. 21,744), capital of Colonia dept., S Uruguay, on the Río de la Plata. It is a resort city, a port, and the trade center for a rich agricultural region. The city, founded by the Portuguese in 1680, was bitterly contested before being ultimately secured by the Spanish. Colonia has many fine examples of colonial architecture.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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