In 1829, four years after the declaration of Independence, the National Assembly decided to pull down the fortifications of the Ciudad Vieja and extend the city to form the "Ciudad Nueva". At the time, the population of Montevideo was around 14,000. The plans for some additional 160 city blocks were drawn by military engineer Don José María Reyes. That extension is the actual barrio of Centro. The plans included a new square, which in 1840 took on the name Plaza Cagancha, while the names of the streets were given by Andrés Lamas from 1843 on. The development of this area was very slow due to the "Guerra Grande" of 1839-1852. In 1867 a pillar with the statue of Peace (La Paz) was erected in the centre of Plaza Cagancha.