Plaza Independencia is the main square of Montevideo and the hinge point between the old city and the new. To the west, the narrow streets of the Ciudad Vieja; to the east, the broad Avenida 18 de Julio running through the modern centre. The square is dominated by a large equestrian statue of José Artigas, the founding hero of Uruguayan independence, and framed by several significant buildings.
The Palacio Salvo at the southeast corner was once the tallest building in South America. The Estévez Palace now serves as a museum. The Puerta de la Ciudadela, the only surviving remnant of the colonial city wall, frames the entrance to the Ciudad Vieja from the western edge of the plaza. Underneath the square, the mausoleum contains Artigas' remains.