Historical documents show that the development of present-day area of the city
starts about 1748. Later on there was the Jesuit Estancia called Santo Ignacio.
Santa Rosa Bay Beach .
The current Atlantida Station is geographically in the area. It was originally
called Las Toscas. The name comes from the colonial era and was a place
located at Solís Chico Creek, near the old railroad bridge in Parque del Plata.
So, Atlantida Station was known in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth
century as a train stop Las Toscas. The first train came in on May 21, 1895.
These early works around Las Toscas station attracted to the area more than
one hundred families, many of which would stay permanently.
These families begin to build their houses in the vicinity of the railway station.
The birth of the spa gives birth to the working people at the same time.
The emergence of the balneario or “spa town” created a need for a place for local
working people. Since the railroad ran several km inland, land values there were
lower than nearer the beaches which attracted vacationers.
In 1908, a company was established to promote forestry in the surrounding areas,
with Juan P. Fabini a major shareholder. They planted hundreds of
thousands of pine trees, mainly because of the sandy shores. This is one of the reasons
why the Canelones department coast has pine trees all over. Today there are only three
townships with „mixed tree vegetation“. They are, from west to east, Marindia,
Atlantida and La Floresta. The next one like that to the east is Solis.
To all this land developement, Mario Ferreira had bought in 1909 adjoining land,
all the way up to the creek Solís Chico and even further.
For years Atlantida (still named Las Toscas) was a desolate place, but at the end
of 1911 land speculation started with the construction of the first beach-town villas.
This construction created a great demand for workers, who started settling around the
station.They settled without an urban plan. The township began to grow rapidly.
In April 1913 Louis de Mula brought up a plan, at the request of Mario Gomez Ferreira,
intended to bring the existing buildings up to code, promote orderly development of
real estate and property sales. This is the date when they drew the first map of the
village based on accurate surveys.
This plan was recorded on January 5, 1914 and officially that would be the birth of
Atlantida resort. Shortly thereafter, they began with the subdivision and sale of lots.
See a pic from the period taken from the spot where we find the Yacht Club today.
In those old days it was called „Montevideo – Playa Atlantida“ ! Playa Atlantida was
the holiday and beachtown of Montevideo. Between Carrasco and Atlantida was nothing.
Playa Atlantida .
In 1913 the development and promotion resulted in the first hotel in Atlantida,
the „Atlantida Hotel“, to accommodate the growing number of seasonal passengers and
visitors.
The Atlantida hotel had two floors, the building was on the beach-front facing the
bay of Santa Rosa .An advertisement in „The Reason“ Montevideo five years later,
proclaiming the excellencies of Atlantida Hotel:
„It is located at the Rambla del Balneario Atlantida along the beach to a height of
twenty meters. It has central lighting, running water, electric bells,
telephones and Uruguayan cooperative, telegraphs, running water in all parts.
All rooms are with sea view. There are golf courses, tennis, basket-ball, volley-ball,
a booth, shooting, riding, hammocks, slides and much more“.
The first hotels in Atlantida opened during these years: the Atlantida Hotel in 1913,
the Mercedes Hotel, 11th Street 1923, The Rex Hotel, Brava Beach 1938, the Planeta
Palace Hotel 1939, changed name into the Golf Palace Hotel 1941. They all received
national and international first-class tourism.
1918 Atlantida got central electric lighting ! A new power plant was build in 1932.
In 1923 Atlantida established the first school in the neighborhood of Atlantida Station.
In 1920 an 18 hole golf course was opened. Considered at the time it was the largest in
whole South America. This was in the part of todays „holiday park of AGADU“, Golf City.
Most people never heard about AGADU – La Asociación General de Autores Del Uruguay.
AGADU was founded on 26th of September 1929.
You’ll find the holiday park, called El Parque de Vacaciones „Luis Alberto Zeballos”,
in Atlantida on Interbalenaria km 45,5 ! A big AGADU sign, almost across Tienda Inglesia.
The AGADU Holiday Park past and present. Sad, as everywhere, so much is rotting away.
The Holiday Park has several buildings and 11 Bungalows. The bungalows and streets
inside the park were named after designated Uruguayan national authors which are
deceased :
“A Don José” de Ruben Lena, “La Puñalada” de Pintín Castellanos, “Miriñaque” de
Alberto Mastra, “Cuando éramos amantes” de Antonio Italiano, “Amarillo color cielo”
de Eduardo Sarlós, “Juventud” de Carlos Molina, “Grillo nochero” de Osiris Rodríguez
Castillos, “Mi Montevideo” de Romeo Gavioli, “Catalina” de Walter Alfaro, “Mangrullo”
de Santiago Chalar, “Che Falluto” de Jaurès Lamarque Pons y “No te quiero más”
de Juan Bauer y Juan Estapé.
Also you still find in North Atlantida the township of „Golf City“.
The prime time for the rich and famous in Atlantida ended already in the 50s and 60s.
So ended the golf course era in the favor of real estate developments and a big part
to the AGADU Park.
Location and entry of the AGADU Park.
The Atlantida Country Club inaugurated 31st of January 1951 and was the centre point of
party life and luxury life in this time. The parties held, achieved great social prestige.
Great and well known bands, like the Lecuana Cuban Boys, Cab Calloway and Henry Burrow,
so as known singers, like Roberto Carlos, Julio Iglesias and Luis Aguilar made the Club
famous. From 1951 to 1956 „Miss Uruguay“ was choosen there.
In 1960 the building „Vistamar“ was finished. The first eleven story building in Atlantida.
During the 60’s some owners began, to rent out their houses and mansions during the summer
month of January and February, later extending the season from December until March.
A new idea for quick moneymaking and then living the rest of the year on this income.
Golf Palace Hotel and Vistamar Tower.
One famous tourist attraction of Atlantida is „The Eagle“, build between 1945 and 1948 by
Natalio Michelizzi. A man of many original ideas ! Later more about this attraction !
The same Michelizzi and Perez Butler build and owned the first luxury hotel in Atlantida,
the „Metro Hotel Atlantida Palace“. It was build in 1939, in a record time of only 6 months.
This hotel was the first in the country to provide central heating and hot water throughout
the whole building.
The „Metro Hotel Atlantida Palace“ was the first luxury spa hotel outside of Montevideo.
The Metro Palace Hotel also opened its Casino in the same year 1939.
Extreme rare Casino Chip from the early years of Casino Atlantida
„CEA === Casino Estado Atlantida“ !
The „Metro Palace Hotel“ was later new named into „Hotel Planeta Palace“.
The hotel was build in a shape of a ship. From the waterside of the Rio de la Plata it
was looking like a big docked ship in Atlantida. Also because of an artificial lake
around the hotel.
A similar hotel (idea and shape) we still find at the beachside in la Floresta.
After the owner died in 1953, the Planeta palace had an often changing history .
The former „Hotel Planeta Palace“, also for many years called the „Golf Palace Hotel“.
Extreme rare Suitcase label from the „Golf Palace Hotel Atlantida“ !
An aerial photo with mansions and the Hotel Planeta Palace. Notice the direct beach front.
There was no Rambla (beachfront road) around the city as it is now. All streets were
leading towards the Beach. Many of these fine mansions, which were build from the 1920s
til the 1960s, can still be seen today, on the Rambla , Playa Mansa, West Atlantida.
Atlantida from the air about 1960
Recorded as the „birth date“ of Atlantida resort is the 5th of January 1914.
On 7th of September 1915 Atlantida acquired its current name, changed from Las Toscas.
In 1967, by Law Nr.13.609 Atlantida got their classification „Ciudad“
(city status). Today – Atlantida still is the center and the „pearl“ of Uruguay’s
Gold Coast. Lovely place to live !!!
