Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean

Portal of Culture of Latin America and the Caribbean

Uruguay - Oratorio de los Correa (Chapel of the Correa family)

The estate of Don Juan Faustino Correa, called El Oratorio because there was a chapel that opened its doors since 1826, is witness of the slave presence and their work in rural areas since the 19th century, particularly in border areas. In this area, with a low density of population free labour force was scarce, and the slaves were the permanent labour force in haciendas and in meat processing shops (curing or salting).

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At present, the historic centre of the estate, the stone-walled stockyards, and the ruins of the chapel are the property of Mr. Nardone González, as the ruins of the burial grounds that are in a private field property of Agronomist Laura Pagés. The state of conservation is fair. Since 2002 up to date the constructions have deteriorated. Because of problems regarding the inheritance of the lands of the Correa, for many years the estate was uninhabited, and it has lacked maintenance. The recent installation of the owner family in the centre part of the estate will probably cause changes in the construction that will favour the buildings and living conditions of the family (part of the original roof has already been replaced), but it will probably worsen the condition of the material heritage. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to declare El Oratorio as National Historic Monument, and that the remaining material vestiges should be rescued, restored and preserved.

File supplemented with excerpts from the publication “Sitios de Memoria y culturas vivas de los afrodescendientes en Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay. Volume I Huellas e Identidades”,  Oratorio de los Correa, Karla Chagas, Natalia Stalla, Alex Borucki.

Accessibility: Difficult access. There is no public transportation in general and some parts of the road are in bad condition and a large part of the road from Ruta 16 (Path of the Indian) to the crossroads with Ruta 13 and the path after it, there are no road signs.
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Chapel of the Correa family. Aerial view of the stone wall and two stone-walled stockyards of El Oratorio Estate. . Photo: Laura Pagues, 2010.
Chapel of the Correa family. Partial view of the buildings of El Oratorio estate.. Photograph Credit: Karla Chagas and Natalia Stalla, 2010.
Chapel of the Correa family. View of ruins of the chapel of El Oratorio estate.. Photograph Credit: Karla Chagas and Natalia Stalla, 2010.

Other data of interest

Uruguay

Historical name

Estancia “El Oratorio” o del Sauce (“El Oratorio” Estate or Estate of the Willow)

Founding Date

1822-mid 19th century

Address

Km 261,500 de la Ruta 13, en la zona conocida como El Maturrango. Castillos, departamento de Rocha  (Km 261,500 de la Ruta 13, in the area known as El Maturrango. Castillos, departamento de Rocha)

Classification

Agro-industrial complex

Category

Others

Function-Testimony

Burial place Workplace Settlement

Access level

Restricted

Current Use

Productive

Original use

Productive

Property kind

Private

Declarations

  • Identified as Memory Site of Uruguay in the framework of the project “The Slave Route in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay”