Francisco Piria facts for kids
Francisco Piria (born Fernando Juan Santiago Francisco María Piria de Grossi) was a very creative person from Uruguay. He was born in Montevideo on August 21, 1847, and passed away on December 11, 1933. He was an inventor, a writer, a politician, and a smart businessman. He was also interested in alchemy, which was an old practice related to chemistry. Francisco Piria is most famous for creating the beautiful city and beach resort called Piriápolis.
Early Life and Business
Francisco Piria's parents, Lorenzo Piria and Serafina de Grossi, came from Genoa, Italy. When his father died too soon, his mother sent him to study in Italy. Later, he came back to Uruguay. His uncle helped him get a great education in many subjects, including humanities and sciences.
Francisco Piria was very good at business and advertising. He opened a shop that sold ready-to-wear clothes. He bought lots of thick fabric and made long capes, which he cleverly named "Rémington." These capes became very popular!
Building Piriápolis
Francisco Piria had a big dream: to create Uruguay's first beach resort town. In 1890, he bought a huge area of land, about 2,700 hectares. This land stretched from Sugar Loaf Mountain all the way to the sea.
In 1905, he built the first big hotel, which he called Hotel Piriápolis. Today, this building is used as a school vacation center. In 1910, he started building the beautiful promenade, which is a long walk along the beach. He got his ideas for this from his trips to Europe, especially the French Riviera.
In 1912, the first land lots in Piriápolis were sold at an auction. After that, the city really started to grow, with many villas and homes being built. He also built a large house called the Piria Castle. There's even a copy of this castle in Buenos Aires, Argentina!
His Lasting Impact
Francisco Piria passed away on December 11, 1933, at the age of 86. He died at his home in Montevideo.
Even though he is gone, his work lives on. A poet named Loreley Lazo once said that "Piria can be found in everything his iron will created." This means that his strong determination helped him make his dream come true. He truly lives on in the city he built.
A movie called "Ciudadano Piria" (Citizen Piria) was released in 2014. This film tells the story of Francisco Piria's amazing life and his lasting impact.
See also
In Spanish: Francisco Piria para niños
