- Height: 253 m
- Address: 20200 Piriapolis, Departamento de Maldonado, Uruguay
- Visit time: 10:00 - 16:00
The hill of Cerro del Toro (Spanish version of Cerro del Toro) belongs to the mountain system of the Sierra de las Animas and is one of the attractions of Maldonado's department in Uruguay . This hill is near the town of Piriápolis : closer to the village is just the hill of San Antonio .
Natural Beauty
The hill itself is horseshoe shaped and densely covered with forest, where representatives of the local flora organically combine with the imported plant species. At the top of the hill there is a small flat area of about 200 square meters. m, which offers a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
Rising to the top, you will certainly see the statue of a bull - it is in honor of it called the hill (with the "toro" - bull). It is installed on a slope approximately at an altitude of 100 m from the foot, is made of bronze and weighs about 3000 kg. The monument was brought by Francisco Piri - the founder of the city - from Paris in parts and assembled in place because of the huge size. On the right horn, one can still see an incision in which a black patina is visible - the material from which the bull is made.
A comfortable staircase with a handrail leads to the statue. From the mouth of the bull flows mineral water, so locals call this key Fuente del Toro ("the source of the bull").
Geologists consider the crater a crater of an extinct volcano. It was on him that the people of the Charrua tribe buried their dead. You can only visit the hill from 10:00 to 16:00. The climb to the hill takes about half an hour - and you will be rewarded with contemplating the statues of the goddess Diana and Francisco Piri.
Visiting rules
The entrance to the hill is free. Since the ascent to it is quite steep, tourists should:
- to ascend only in the daytime;
- wear comfortable sports shoes with socks to avoid calluses and falls.
Directions to the Hill
From the north side of the hill you can drive by car. To do this, go to the highway Gral. Rondeau from the southwest or Reconquista from the northwest.