The first European to be know to have set foot in the region where now is Punta del Este is the Spanish explorer Juán Diaz de Solís in 1516 (please see History of Uruguay part I). There he found the entrance to the Rio de la Plata, which he thought was a way to reach the Pacific Ocean. He named the place Cabo de Santa María (Cape Santa Maria). 50 years later the fort of San Fernando was built there.
In 1829, the cape was named Villa Ituzaingó by Francisco Aguilar who drew the plans of the city to be and began building. Aguilar, a very wealthy man, used the land for agriculture and manufacturing of ceramic tiles. He was the fist ship builder of Uruguay, and also raised cattle and went into politics. He was Mayor of Maldonado and Senator. He was also given by the President exclusive rights to hunt for whales, of which plenty could be found near the coast.
In 1843 the peninsula and the Gorriti Island were sold to the brothers Lafone. They used it as saladeros, the process of salt-curing the meat. At that time the only way to go from the Punta to Maldonado was in carts and the way was very difficult as it was mostly sand with lots of dunes. To make this easier Aguilar brought dromedaries that were much more adapted to this kind of terrain.
In 1889 the first hotel was built. At that time the town was inhabited by fishermen, customs officers and the lighthouse keepers. But during the summer the population increased with people coming looking for a place to rest. Many of the inhabitants were thinking of developing the town into a seaside resort similar to Biarritz in France or Brighton in England.
In 1907 a ship called "Golondrina" arrived to the port full of people from Buenos Aires and Montevideo, that had been invited by the Society "Balneario Punta del Este". That year the town had been officially named Punta del Este by President Claudio Williman.
From that moment it never stopped growing, to become what it is now. One of the most important seaside resorts of South America, and a center of the international jet set. Properties in the zone of Punta del Este, specially heading east towards José Ignacio, are now valued in millions of dollars.
If you haven´t been there you should visit it. It´s worth it
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