'Searching for Stained Glass in Uurguay' Art and Artists

Searching for Stained Glass in Uurguay

Searching for advice on locating interesting glass in Uruguay. I'll be in Montevideo for a few days then out to Piriapolis and Punta del Este. If time permits we'll do more exploring. I'm a stained glass artist and am interested in new and historic glass. If I find something good it could turn into an article for a stained glass magazine. Churches, Synagogues, Government buildings, hotels, historic sites, restaurants... all are candidates, so long as I can get access.

Thanks for your help!

I can't help on the stained glass, but hopefully someone else has some ideas.

Interestingly, google translate, translates both those words to "stained glass". But if you translate "stained glass" to Spanish you get just vidrieras (windows).

To start with, of course you won't find in Uruguay the gothic marvels you could find in Europe (Montevideo was founded in 1726). There is some neo-gothic in a few churches; but religious architecture is not that important in Uruguay. I think most stained glass works you can find are the little and modest examples of art-decó vitreaux in private homes. But you would have to walk a lot to discover them. In public buildings where I recall there are some stained glass examples, check the Banco República's main building in Ciudad Vieja; the Palacio Legislativo (Congress), and the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (corner of Av. 18 de Julio and Cuareim St.). There may be some old stained glass windows along with some art-decó stained glass lamps on sale at the antique's stores along the Feria de Tristan Narvaja. This is a traditional feria running all Sunday mornings in Tristan Narvaja St, near the University and the National Library buildings. The antiques stores on that street are also open the rest of the week.

I have considered how I would tell people what I do... and decided bringing digital photos might be easier. I'm one month into my first Spanish course, so I'm feeling pretty limited and with only one week to go, I'm not expecting that will change for this first trip!

I'll try using vitral/vitreaux for a google search and see if it finds anything. Searching for churches seemed to get me a lot of Latter Day Saints which I'm pretty sure I'm not interested in visiting. I know that there is at least one great old church in MVD. I've seen a photo of the exterior, but no name or interior shot. There are also some windows in a govt. building but, I don't remember where I found them.

I have seen some lovely stained glass in people's houses here which I thought was unusual. It seems quite common in older houses to have a "solarium" of sorts with a big glass ceiling...though over the years many renovated houses have done away with this, and the un-renovated ones have put wood or something over the glass as it has broken :(

Uruguayans are very artistic and have a great appreciation for art so although you won't make your millions, if you can interest the right people you could make custom pieces for homes.

My contact info is at the bottom of the web page I'm linking to. There you can also see both vitreaux. I'm not asking you to rent the apartment, just inviting you to contact me so you can visit the building and take as many pictures as you want. I might even be able to arrange for you to have access to the skylight for a closer look.

• Two nice stained glass examples

Elaine, I did find Iglesia Matriz in one of my searches and would like to visit it. I have scene one image of the windows at Matriz.

Marisa, Palacio Durazno looks amazing... I'd love to get a closer look at the window and skylight. And is it possible to stay for a night or two? We will be spending the middle of the trip out Punta Del Este way, but we start out in MVD and will end up there on our way home.

Does anyone know about Iglesia de Las Carmelitas in Prado? That looks like it a copy of gothic French architecture complete with flying buttresses. I'm wondering if it has windows to match.

We are planning to stay in Pocitos when we arrive and doing most of our exploring on foot. It looks like we'll be joining some of you at the Sunday Expat Lunch!

Please let me know the dates you're interested on (you can send my an email to the address you'll find at the bottom of my website) and as long as the apartment is available I'll be happy to have you stay there.

Las Carmelitas (its full name is Iglesia de la Virgen del Carmen y Santa Teresita) has several vitreaux, apparently originary from Spain from the mid 1800s, brought here in the 1930s when the church was built. You can have appek at them on the YouTube video I link below. The exact address is Irigoitia 1007.

The Anglican Temple on Rambla and Treinta y trés also has some nice vitreax. And there's another church on Luis alberto de Herrera and Carlos Vaz Ferreira that might also have vitreaux.

You might also want to visit Carrara (Gral. Flores 2302) and Oddone Zunino (Gral. Flores 2227). Both are demolition companies that usually have vitreaux and other interesting pieces they rescue from old buildings and houses. The pieces there will probably not be in the best condition, but you can find some very nice stuff there. You can also usually find vitreaux for sale at some antique shops and auction houses.

• Iglesia de la Virgen del Carmen y Santa Teresita

I've visited that church a couple times and it's an awesome place. Indeed it was built in the French Gothic style and it has wonderful stained glass inside. By the way, Prado is a beautiful neighborhood with grand old houses and while you are there --if you happen to have time-- you can take a look at the Presidential residence, the Hotel del Prado (a gorgeous little "palace"!) the Botanic Gardens, the Blanes Museum, and the Japanese Garden.

You must a registered user and logged in to use this feature:

• Login
  (Register)

• Stained Glass Supplier (Art and Artists)

Related posts on other sites:

• Blog post: Stained Glass Workshop (Arts, Crafts and Hobbies Forum)
• Names for Handicraft Business (Hobbies Forum)