Cerro Catedral (Uruguay)


Cerro Catedral, also known as Cerro Cordillera, is a peak and the highest point of Uruguay, with an altitude of. It is located north of Maldonado Department, in the municipality of Aiguá, in a hill range named Sierra Carapé, which constitutes part of a larger range named Cuchilla Grande. Its name derived from the curious forms of the rocky elevations of its summit, which are very common in the southern part of this country.

History

Until 1973, Cerro de las Ánimas, with an elevation of, was considered the highest point of Uruguay. However, in that year, a group of scientists of the Servicio Geográfico Militar changed the measure of Cerro Catedral.

Geography

Location and geology

Sierra Carapé, formed in Precambrian time, crosses the Maldonado Department from west to east and enters the Rocha Department. It constitutes the border between the departments of Lavalleja and Maldonado. Cerro Catedral, or Cerro Cordillera, is situated in the region of Las Cañas, in the 8th Judicial Section and the 9th Police Section of the Maldonado Department. Near Cerro Catedral there are the source of José Ignacio Stream, which runs from north to south, and the source of Coronilla Stream, running to the northwest, which drains into Aiguá.
The hill is situated in an area of the range which its formation is mainly granitic and gneissic.

Vegetation

In the highest areas of Cerro Catedral, the vegetation practically does not exist, with the sparse appearance of a shrub called Myrtus ugni between the rocks. Above the altitude of, tough grasses, xerophile vegetation, Baccharis articulata and marcela predominate.

Climate

The climate in this locality is oceanic, with mild to warm summers and chilly to cool winters. Strong winds are a common occurrence. The precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year and snowfalls are uncommon.