Right in the center of “Ciudad Vieja,” the historic Old Town of Montevideo, just steps from the famous Plaza Zabala and only 650ft from the Rambla waterfront promenade, stands this historically significant manor house.
Built in 1924 by the writer and Freemason Manuel Acosta y Lara, the three-story building with its neocolonial façade has had only four owners. Over the past ten years, the current owner has undertaken extensive restoration work. Prior to that, the house had stood abandoned for a decade and was at serious risk of deterioration. Thanks to the building’s solid structure and the preservation of many original architectural elements, much of its original character has been successfully restored. However, it should be noted that the restoration is far from complete.
The splendid design of the interiors shows influences of the Renaissance, Spanish bourgeois Baroque, and Italian Classicism. It is virtually impossible in this format to list and describe all the rooms in detail, so we offer only a general overview here:
Spread over three floors and a total living/usable area of 8,470sqft, the mansion features a magnificent entrance hall, a grand drawing room with a 13ft-high Spanish Baroque fireplace imported from Europe and significantly older than the house itself, a formal dining room, a private theater hall, a stunning winter garden, 7 bedrooms, 7 additional rooms, and 5 bathrooms. On the rooftop, there is also a small astronomical observatory.
It is said that houses like this one choose their owners, and anyone who visits the “Palacio Acosta y Lara” quickly feels that this may very well be true.
It is simply impossible to do this house justice with technical descriptions alone.
As you leave the street and enter the entrance hall, time seems to stand still. Your steps instinctively slow, captivated by the mystical aesthetics of the rooms that immediately surround you. It feels like stepping into a magical, unfamiliar world—one full of secrets and wonders. You are astonished, fascinated, and perhaps a little disoriented.
While it might be theoretically possible to describe every room and hall in detail—with their intricate skylights, columns, stucco moldings, ornate features, and beautiful floors—it would be absurd in this case. This house deserves more than plain facts.
The true value of this important and unique mansion cannot be captured in words. It must be experienced to be truly understood.
If you are interested, we would be pleased to arrange a private viewing for you.
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