Uruguay
Himno Nacional de Uruguay
National Anthem of Uruguay
1833
1848
Francisco Acuna de Figueroa
Francisco Jose Debali and Fernando Quijano
🕊 Freedom 🔥 Revolution ⚔ Battle / War 🚩 Flag |
Key Facts
- 1. The opening words 'Orientales, la Patria o la Tumba!' (Easterners, the Homeland or the Grave!) are among the most dramatic opening lines of any anthem in the world, immediately invoking a life-or-death pledge.
- 2. Composer Francisco Jose Debali was a Hungarian immigrant who also composed several operas in Montevideo; some musicologists have noted similarities between Uruguay's anthem melody and passages from Donizetti's opera 'Lucrezia Borgia.'
- 3. At football matches, Uruguayan fans have a tradition of singing the anthem for its full duration even when the stadium PA system cuts it short, often continuing a cappella in the stands.
Lyrics
[Coro]
¡Orientales, la Patria o la Tumba!
¡Libertad, o con gloria morir!
Es el voto que el alma pronuncia,
Y que heroicos sabremos cumplir.
Libertad, libertad, Orientales!
Este grito a la Patria salvó,
Que a sus bravos en fieras batallas
De entusiasmo sublime inflamó.
[Coro]
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialWritten by Francisco Acuna de Figueroa (who also authored Paraguay's anthem) with music by Francisco Jose Debali and Fernando Quijano, adopted in 1848. At approximately five minutes in its shortened form, it is one of the longest national anthems in the world. Uruguayans are called 'Orientales' (Easterners) because the country lies east of the Uruguay River.