# Heritage Day (Uruguay)

The Heritage Day (Spanish: Día del Patrimonio) is an annual celebration of Uruguay's history and culture. It takes place the first weekend of October and is organized by the National Cultural Heritage Commission of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Extraordinarily for two days, all museums, government buildings, historical monuments, educational institutions, buildings and private residences of historical, cultural or architectural interest are open to the public to be visited free of charge. Occasionally, special exhibitions or cultural activities are held.

## History

In 1995, at the initiative of architect José Luis Livni, Día del Patrimonio was celebrated for the first time, which lasted only one day and was held only in Montevideo. However, over the years the celebration gained popularity and was expanded to include different aspects of Uruguayan culture and history, so the places that could be visited increased and it was decided to hold it for a full weekend, without altering the name.
From 1995 to 2001 it was held on the second Saturday of September, and from 2002 to 2005 on the penultimate weekend of September. Finally, starting with the eleventh edition (2006), it began to be held on the second weekend of October.

## Editions

| Year | Date | Honored | Slogan | Slogan |
| Year | Date | Honored | Spanish | English |
| 1995 | 16 September | - | La ocasión de adentrarse en la herencia cultural | The opportunity to delve into the cultural heritage |
| 1996 | 14 September | José Luis Livni | – | – |
| 1997 | 13 September | Juan E. Pivel Devoto | – | – |
| 1998 | 12 September | Alfredo Campos | – | – |
| 1999 | 18 September | Luis Andreoni | Montevideo, con arquitectura de gusto europeo | Montevideo, with European style architecture |
| 2000 | 14 October | José Gervasio Artigas, 150 years after his death | – | – |
| 2001 | 15 September | Mauricio and Antonio Cravotto | – | – |
| 2002 | 21–22 September | Horacio Arredondo | – | – |
| 2003 | 20–21 September | Lauro Ayestarán | La identidad recuperada | The recovered identity |
| 2004 | 18–19 September | Joaquín Torres-García | – | – |
| 2005 | 24–25 September | Carlos Solé | – | – |
| 2006 | 07–08 October | Eladio Dieste | Tradición e innovación Eladio Dieste: El señor de los ladrillos | Tradition and innovation Eladio Dieste: The Lord of the Bricks |
| 2007 | 06–07 October | Rosa Luna, Martha Gularte y Lágrima Ríos | Apuesta cultural para una sociedad sin discriminación | Cultural commitment for a society without discrimination |
| 2008 | 04–05 October | Carlos Vaz Ferreira | Uruguay: país de pensamiento | Uruguay: country of thought |
| 2009 | 26–27 September | Bartolomé Hidalgo, Roberto J. Boston, Francisco Espínola, Carlos González, Juan José Morosoli, Yamandú Rodríguez, Aníbal Sampayo, Fernán Silva Valdés, Wenceslao Varela and Rubén Lena | Tradiciones rurales | Rural traditions |
| 2010 | 25–26 September | Florencio Sánchez, José Podestá, Trinidad Guevara, Alberto Candeau, Ángel Curotto, Atahualpa del Cioppo and Margarita Xirgú | Reconocimiento a los constructores del teatro uruguayo en el Día del Patrimonio | Recognition of the builders of the Uruguayan theater on Heritage Day |
| 2011 | 22–23 October | Bicentennial of Uruguay | La Redota; derrotero por la libertad y la unión de los pueblos | La Redota: path for freedom and the union of peoples |
| 2012 | 06–07 October | Anibal Barrios Pintos | El lenguaje de los uruguayos | The language of the Uruguayans |
| 2013 | 05–06 October | Tango | – | – |
| 2014 | 04–05 October | Public space, architecture and citizen participation | Apropiarse de los espacios públicos y compartirlos en comunidad | Take advantage of public spaces and share them in community |
| 2015 | 10–11 October | Twentieth anniversary of the inscription of Colonia del Sacramento to the World Heritage Site | La arquitectura en el Uruguay | Architecture in Uruguay |
| 2016 | 01–02 October | Public Education | Educación Pública; Integral, integradora, integrada | Public education: comprehensive, integrative, integrated |
| 2017 | 07–08 October | La cumparsita | Patrimonio vivo y universal | Living and universal heritage |
| 2018 | 06–07 October | 70 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights | Patrimonio y Diversidad Cultural | Heritage and Cultural Diversity |
| 2019 | 05–06 October | Amalia de la Vega, 100 years after her birth | La música en Uruguay | Music in Uruguay |
| 2020 | 03–04 October | Manuel Quintela | Medicina y salud, bienes a preservar | Medicine and health, goods to preserve |
| 2021 | 02–03 October | José Enrique Rodó | Las ideas cambian el mundo | Ideas change the world |
| 2022 | 01–02 October | China Zorrilla, 100 years after her birth | Cultura de las dos orillas | Culture of both shores |
| 2023 | 07–08 October | Alfredo Jones Brown, Juan Antonio Scasso and José Scheps | Constructores de escuelas y liceos | School and high school builders |
| 2024 | 05–06 October | 150th anniversary of vineyards and wine in Uruguay | El vino como tradición: inmigración, trabajo e innovación | Wine as a tradition: immigration, work and innovation |