Erected as the Apostolic Vicariate of Montevideo by Pope Gregory XVI on 14 August 1832, the vicariate was promoted to the Diocese of Montevideo on 13 July 1878 by Pope Leo XIII.

[1][2] The new archdiocese became the Metropolitan of the suffragan sees: Canelones, Florida, Maldonado–Punta del Este, Melo, Mercedes, Minas, Salto, San José de Mayo, Tacuarembó.

Montevideo is the only archdiocese in Uruguay and its archbishop is thus seen as leader of the Uruguayan Church.

The archdiocese's mother church and thus seat of its archbishop is the Montevideo Metropolitan Cathedral.

The current archbishop of Montevideo is Daniel Sturla, SDB, who was installed on 9 March 2014.