Uruguay is home to many beautiful beaches and natural wonders, but they’re not the only thing that’s attracting countless tourists to this country. The gigantic hand sculpture La Mano de Punta del Este is one of Uruguay’s most recognizable symbols and photographed attractions.
La Mano aka The Hand is located in the charming resort town Punta del Este, often described as “the Monaco of the South”. It’s located at one of the city’s most popular beaches, Playa Brava. It’s pretty easy to reach it no matter where you’re staying, just make sure to head to Parada 1 of Playa Brava as the beach actually starches for miles.
La Mano will take your breath away no matter when you decide to see it, but many tourists do it right before sunset when the sky looks most spectacular. This sculpture shows five fingers emerging from the sand, and it’s there to remind swimmers of the beach’s notorious waves.
This sculpture is known by several different names, and it was built by the Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal back in 1982. Several artists from around the world built their own sculptures in Punta del Este that summer, but La Mano is the only one that still remains untouched in its original spot.