Paysandu

Paysandú is one of the most important cities in Uruguay. It is the capital of the homonymous department with 120,283 inhabitants. Located on the eastern bank of the Uruguay River, it is 378 km from the capital of the country, Montevideo, and borders the Argentine cities of Colón and Concepción del Uruguay in the province of Entre Ríos, with which it is connected through the international bridge «General Artigas».

Paysandú Station (AFE).

History

Foundation

It has a rich history since the town that gives rise to it dates from the beginning of the Spanish colonization.

Its etymology is uncertain, some sources argue that it is of Guarani origin, the existence of a priest (pa'i) with a similar surname has been proposed, or the phrase "pa'i sandu" (the priest listens). According to very old documents, the Guarani Indians were designated as Chanduls or Chandus, and from there it could derive from Paso de Chandú or Sandú, Paso Sandú to Paisandú. Various legends have also appeared, such as the existence of a Father Sandú of whom there is no trace of his existence. Both these and the rest lack historical evidence.

Several sources attribute the founding of Paysandú to a Jesuit religious named Policarpo Sandú, of Basque origin, supposedly born in Idiazabal. This religious would have founded a reduction with twelve aboriginal families from the Jesuit Missions in the year 1772, practically in the place where he developed the current city.

But this tradition has been questioned: in 1919, Fr. Baldomero Vidal began an investigation in the various ecclesiastical archives that found no trace of the existence, which had always been presumed and unproven, of "P. Sandú". In the following years, instead, he found mentions of the name of Paysandú in documents older than 1772:

1. A work by Fr. Carlos Leonhardt S.J. in 1927 that reproduced the words of Fr. Bernardo Nusdorffer S.J. (priest of the Eastern missions, born on 17 August 1686 in the city of Platting, Bavaria), where he realized that the Spaniards had met “in the spot of an island of Uruguay, called And Paúçandó”. Decomposing the word "Y" (rio); "paú" (isla); "çandó" (not continued, interpolated), Leonhardt translated it by "island interpolated in the river".
2. A map drawn in 1749 by the Jesuit missionary priest José Quiroga Méndez, which is currently preserved in the Museum of Our Lady of the Rosary, in which the name Paisandú appears in the same place that occupies the city today, close to grade 32 of latitude.
3. A representation made by the Companies of Corrientes to the Master of Campo José de Andonaegui, in August 1754, where the "Pasandú Pass" is mentioned.

The town was transformed into a settlement with a port and salting room to make beef jerky and collect hides. In 1805 the Parroquia de Paysandú was created, which in fact means knowledge of the town. In 1810 Benito Chain was entrusted with the planning and delineation of the Pueblo de Paysandú.

A city under siege

It was besieged by the Portuguese and Brazilians on three occasions and is famous for the heroic defense made by its inhabitants in 1864, under the command of the national general Leandro Gómez, when facing the siege of the troops of the colorado general Venancio Flores and their Brazilian allies.^{[citation needed]}

Campana brought from Missions.

The resistance and courage shown by the besieged against the invaders, despite the disparity of forces, earned him the nickname "Heroica Paysandú" or the "Heroica", a nickname that has its origin in verses of the Argentine payador Gabino Ezeiza (1889):

«Heroic Paysandú, I greet you

brother of the country in which I was born

Your verses and your burning glories

They sing in my land like here.

The bards we have in the Silver,

that are in the Olympics in his song,

they dedicate to this people of courage

his greatest and sublime inspiration,

they dedicate to this people of courage

his greatest and sublime inspiration. »

This feat is recorded, among others, in the historical novel by Mario Delgado Aparaín You will not steal the boots of the dead.

The historical investigations on the origins of Paysandú by historians such as Setembrino Pereda, Baldomero Vidal, Miguel Ángel Pías and Augusto Schulkin are noteworthy. One of the historical essays that have been written is the titled Paysandú en escorzo histórico, by Aníbal Barrios Pintos.^{[citation required]}

Later development

Paysandú grew to become one of the main cities in the interior.

Its Plaza Constitución received a distinguished ornamental treatment, with designs by the French landscape architect Carlos Racine. Later, the mausoleum for General Leandro Gómez would be built in this square.

Palacio de la Intendencia Municipal de Paysandú.

Population

According to the 2011 census, the city has a population of 76,429 inhabitants. If the agglomerated population is added to this amount (localities of Chacras de Paysandú, Nuevo Paysandú and San Félix), the total rises to 90,690 inhabitants.

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Port of Paysandú.

Economy

It is an industrial and commercial city which gives it intense activity in relative terms to the country, being this one of the three most developed cities after Montevideo and Maldonado in all of Uruguay, poverty levels do not exceed 1.6% of its respective population and has the lowest rate of crime and violence in the entire country^{[citation required]}. Among its production, woolen fabrics (Paylana), leather (Paycueros and Cholitas SRL), beer (Norteña and Bimba Bruder), Portland cement (ANCAP) and citrus (Azucitrus, Sandupay) stand out.

Services

Monument to General Leandro Gómez, located in the Plaza Constitución de Paysandú.

Education

Secondary Level

At a public level, there are 8 state high schools and 4 private high schools operating in the city, covering the different cycles of secondary education. The oldest of them is the Lyceum No. 1 Q.F. Élida Heinzen founded in 1912.

Tertiary Level

The Paysandú University Center (CUP) has been operating in the city since 1969. It functioned as House of the University created by initiative of local graduates and professors from the “Mario A. Cassinoni” Experimental Station (EEMAC). In 1979 the School of Medical Technology began to function offering tertiary courses. Since then, new careers have been added in different areas. The university center depends on the University of the Republic.

Health

The city has a public hospital, 《Hospital Escuela del Litoral Galán y Rocha》, dependent on the MSP, as well as a sanatorium belonging to the Paysandú Medical Corporation, COMEPA.

Colectivo de la Línea 108, through the streets of Paysandú.

Colectivo internacional de la empresa Uruguayaya Copay, de Paysandú (Uruguay) a Colón (Entre Ríos, Argentina).

Transportation

General Artigas Bridge, located north of the city.

Local transportation

Local public transport is provided by the company COPAY, it connects the different neighborhoods of the city and the nearest towns. The local lines are:

• Line 101: Worker-Aduana Neighborhood
• Line 102: Bella Vista-Independence and Chain
• Line 103: Industrial Zone
• Line 104: New Paysandú-IC 23
• Line 105: Terminal-Casa Blanca
• Line 106: Agronomy-Aduana
• Line 107 Special: Barrio Santa Elena-Hospital
• Line 108: Mevir Paysandú-Centro
• Line 109: Chaplin-Av district. Soriano
• Line 110: North Quarter-Center
• Line 111: Constance-Center

Medium and long distance bus services

The city has a bus terminal inaugurated in October 2016 and located at Bulevar Artigas 770, from which departmental, national and international services depart and arrive.

• Route 3: It serves as a connection to the south of the country (Young, Trinidad, San José and Montevideo), as well as to the north of the country (Lorenzo Geyres, Quebracho, Termas del Guaviyú, Salto and Bella Unión). This road also serves as a connection with the road to the international bridge General Artigas that crosses the Uruguay River and connects with the Argentine Republic.
• Route 90: joins the city of Paysandú with the localities of Esperanza, Estación Porvenir, Piedras Coloradas, Orgoroso and Guichón.
• Route 26: Although this road is not born in the city, it has its western end about 25 km north of the city, by route 3. This road serves as a connection to the cities of Tacuarembó and Melo.

Air transportation

To the south of the city is the Tydeo Larre Borges International Airport, which operates air taxi services, fumigators and light maintenance.

Architecture

One of the graves in the Old Cemetery.

Monument to Perpetuity or Old Cemetery

The monument to Perpetuity, also known as the Old Cemetery, is located south of the city of Paysandú, on Montecaseros Street, between Gral. Artigas and Soriano Avenue, a few blocks from the center of said city. In this cemetery the mortal remains of many victims of the defense of Paysandú are preserved. Its construction began in 1835, to replace the old existing cemetery next to the old church. On January 29, 2004, it was declared a National Historic Monument.

It keeps valuable representative works of funerary art from the XIX century: sculptures, pantheons and mausoleums in which marble from Carrara, pink and gray granite and bronze. Most of the works belong to Italian sculptors such as Giovanni del Vecchio, Juan Azzarini and José Livi. Two of the most prominent monuments are dedicated to the Revolutionaries of 1886 in Quebracho and to the Servidores de la Patria (also known as the monument to the Unknown Soldier). Most of those buried were members of the wealthiest and most influential sectors of the Sanducera society of the XIX century, such as the military, politicians, farmers, merchants and their families. Among the most important pantheons are those of Manuel Stirling and his wife Nicolasa Argois, Luis Galán y Rocha (in charge of building the cemetery), Dr. Manuel Adolfo Olaechea and the doctor and philanthropist Vicente Mongrell. There are also marble works by the artist Eugenio Perezutti, the sculptor Morelli and the sculptor Francisco Palermo.

Police Headquarters

Located on Leandro Gómez and Montevideo streets. On this corner stands a monument built in 1860 by Francisco Poncini, at the initiative of Colonel Basilio Pinilla, at the time the Political Chief of Paysandú. This building was one of the strongholds of the Defense 1864-1865 and was in charge of the Political Chief who died right there, Captain Pedro Rivero. At the top of its forehead can be seen the allegories of Justice and Strength, both made in marble by the Italian sculptor José Livi. Reclining, also on the front and on both sides of the National Shield, are the allegories of Surveillance and Law.

Teatro Florencio Sánchez (Paysandú).

Florencio Sánchez Theater

Paysandú Customs Administration Building.

Customs Building

The Port of Paysandú, one of the first built in the country, has been declared a National Port since June 11, 1829. Previously the port in the area, it was the one that existed in Casa Blanca and that later works in the Sacra salting room, finally settling in its current location. The primary building built, served as the seat for the one built in 1865 and is occupied by the Port Prefecture and the Customs Department. On September 8, 1915, with the presence of the President of the Republic Mr. Feliciano Viera, the fundamental stone of the port was laid and later in 1928 expansion works were carried out.

Local events

Beer Week

Every year during the tourism week, the Paysandú Beer Week takes place in the city. This event has its origins in 1966, when with the support of then mayor Oscar Garrasino, the local beer brand Norteña held the first edition of the Paysandú Beer Festival in the city, which It had as its main stage the Plaza Constitución. On that occasion he had a visit from Alfredo Zitarrosa.

In the 1970s, the festival moved its stage to Plaza Artigas and the exhibition and sales fair was added to it. In 1997, the festival already had international recognition, when the Río Uruguay Amphitheater was inaugurated. Since then, all the artistic activity related to this local festival has been concentrated there. Every year this event features numerous artists, both national and international, and attracts a significant number of visitors.

Celebrations of Paysandú city

Every year, on June 8, the anniversary of the declaration of Paysandú as a city is celebrated. These festivities last four days and during them gaucho parades, cultural and sports shows take place.

Artigas Stadium (Paysandú), headquarters of the Copa América 1995.

Sports

Football

The two most experienced soccer clubs in the city are:

• Atletico Bella Vista, which was founded in 1939 and plays in the departmental League of Paysandú Football. In 1999 he participated in the first division of the Uruguay Football Championship.
• Estudiantil Sanducero Football Club, was founded in 1930 and his team plays in the First Division of the departmental League of Paysandú Football.

The city is also home to the Parque Artigas stadium, which was rebuilt for the 1995 Copa América and has a capacity for 20,000 people.

Swimming and Rowing

Paysandú is the headquarters of the Paysandu Rowers Club, a place where the most outstanding athletes in the country in rowing and swimming were forged. People of the stature of Ana María Norbis, Carlos Scanavino and Juan Antonio Rodríguez, a rower who won 2 Olympic medals. It is the club with the most Olympic medals in Uruguay and the city with the most athletes on the Olympic podium.

Rugby

The city is the headquarters of the Trébol Rugby Club, which is associated with the Uruguayan Rugby Union, and currently disputes the Uruguayan Rugby Championship, of which it became champion in the 2018 season.

Climate

The climate of the city of Paysandú, according to the Köppen climate classification, is a humid subtropical climate, with an average annual temperature of 17.9 °C.

Average climate parameters of Paysandú
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Average temperature (°C)	31.5	30.0	27.6	23.9	20.4	16.8	16.9	18.5	20.5	23.5	26.4	29.7	23.8
Average temperature (°C)	24.8	23.7	21.6	18.0	14.8	11.7	11.8	12.9	14.6	17.5	20.4	23.1	17.9
Temp. medium (°C)	18.3	17.6	15.7	12.5	9.6	6.9	7.1	7.5	8.8	11.6	14.1	16.8	12.2
Total precipitation (mm)	100	131	147	103	77	70	71	73	91	122	118	115	1218
Precipitation days (≥ 1mm)	6	6	7	6	6	5	6	5	6	7	6	6	72
Relative humidity (%)	65	69	72	75	77	80	79	75	73	72	69	66	73
Source: DNM Uruguay average 1960-1990

Twinned cities

• Muscatine, United States
• Hellín (Spain)
• Esmara (Democratic Saharan Arab Republic)