Calle de Los Suspiros

In the heart of Colonia is its Calle de los Suspiros, or “Street of Sighs,” which did not earn its name from the soothing appearance you find walking down it today. This pastel-pink facade now serves as a small art gallery called Atelier, sharing the talents of the city’s relatively recent influx of artisans. The buildings around it are decorated in a range of hues, many with wallhugging plants. Several serve as studios, others as cheese shops or boutiques framed by bougainvillea. But this passageway was not always home to such quaint tranquility.

Conveniently located by the port, the street was originally frequented for its brothels, whose sex workers may have been responsible for how the street got its name—and certainly played a crucial role in preserving Colonia’s historic district. The women who lived, worked, and held agency on this street until well into the twentieth century preserved its historical look…simply by staying put. With a continual influx of sailors, the madams had no reason to leave the area. In doing so, they prevented older, now classic buildings from being flattened and upgraded. Those seeking to gentrify Colonia moved inland or closer to the capital instead.

Many former brothels are now landmarks of a sort: admired by travelers and photographed on walking tours. The tourism industry preserved the district’s buildings, eventually leading to a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1995. Today, Colonia’s postcard-worthy, sycamore-lined cobblestone streets are indebted to those original brothels, and to the women who inspired generations of sighs.

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