Palacio de La Moneda
Encyclopedia
Palacio de La Moneda or simply La Moneda, is the seat of the President
of the Republic of Chile
. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers: Interior
, General Secretariat of the Presidency and General Secretariat of the Government. It occupies an entire block in downtown Santiago
, in the area known as Civic District.
(moneda means coin), was designed by Italian
architect
Joaquín Toesca
. Construction began in 1784 and was opened in 1805, while still under construction. The production of coins in Chile took place at La Moneda from 1814 to 1929.
In June, 1845 during president Manuel Bulnes
's administration, the palace became the seat of government and presidential residence. In 1930, a public square —named Plaza de la Constitución ("Constitution Square")— was built in front of the palace. After the presidency of Gabriel González Videla
it ceased to serve as a presidential residence.
During the military coup d'état
on September 11, 1973, the palace was partially destroyed by aerial bombing by the Chilean Air Force as requested by the army when it was assaulting the said palace when then Socialist President Salvador Allende
rejected the military's ultimatum for him to step down in spite that he was officially deposed from power. It has been accepted in some quarters that Allende actually killed himself in the palace as it was under assault by the armed forces. Modern forensics has suggested that it is questionable whether this actually happened. Chile has exhumed the remains of former president Allende to try to resolve the issue over whether he killed himself or not. Reconstruction and restoration projects were completed on March 11, 1981, although some bullet marks have been preserved and can still be seen nowadays. An underground office complex (the so called "bunker") was built under the front square, during the 1973-1980 restorations to provide a safe escape for then President General Augusto Pinochet
in case of an attack.
During President Ricardo Lagos
's administration, the palace's inner courtyards were opened to the public during certain hours of the day. Lagos also re-opened Morandé 80
— a gate used by Chilean presidents to enter the palace since the early 20th century. It was eliminated during the restoration of the palace as not being in the original plans, but was restored because of the heavy symbolism attached to it as being the gate through which Chilean Presidents entered La Moneda skipping the main's gate guard protocol or, in other words, as ordinary citizens of the Republic. It was also the gate through which the body of President Allende was taken out after the 1973 coup.
In April 2006, Plaza de la Ciudadanía
("Citizenry Square") was opened on its southern façade, replacing a parking lot. The square was continued south of the Alameda avenue as Plaza de La Cultura ("Square of Culture"). A plan to connect both squares to create a single pedestrian zone, tunneling the avenue in between, has been scrapped.
A traditional guard mounting
happens every odd-numbered day, including Sundays, at 10 a.m.
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
of the Republic of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers: Interior
Ministry of the Interior (Chile)
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining public order, security and social peace" within Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling, and informing the domestic policies...
, General Secretariat of the Presidency and General Secretariat of the Government. It occupies an entire block in downtown Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, in the area known as Civic District.
History
La Moneda, originally a colonial mintMint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
(moneda means coin), was designed by Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Joaquín Toesca
Joaquín Toesca
Joaquín Toesca y Ricci , born Gioacchino Toesca, was an Italian architect who worked for the king and governors of the Spanish Empire, especially in colonial Chile....
. Construction began in 1784 and was opened in 1805, while still under construction. The production of coins in Chile took place at La Moneda from 1814 to 1929.
In June, 1845 during president Manuel Bulnes
Manuel Bulnes
-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
's administration, the palace became the seat of government and presidential residence. In 1930, a public square —named Plaza de la Constitución ("Constitution Square")— was built in front of the palace. After the presidency of Gabriel González Videla
Gabriel González Videla
Gabriel González Videla was a Chilean politician. He was a deputy and senator in the Chilean Congress and was President of Chile from 1946 to 1952...
it ceased to serve as a presidential residence.
During the military coup d'état
Chilean coup of 1973
The 1973 Chilean coup d'état was a watershed event of the Cold War and the history of Chile. Following an extended period of political unrest between the conservative-dominated Congress of Chile and the socialist-leaning President Salvador Allende, discontent culminated in the latter's downfall in...
on September 11, 1973, the palace was partially destroyed by aerial bombing by the Chilean Air Force as requested by the army when it was assaulting the said palace when then Socialist President Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
rejected the military's ultimatum for him to step down in spite that he was officially deposed from power. It has been accepted in some quarters that Allende actually killed himself in the palace as it was under assault by the armed forces. Modern forensics has suggested that it is questionable whether this actually happened. Chile has exhumed the remains of former president Allende to try to resolve the issue over whether he killed himself or not. Reconstruction and restoration projects were completed on March 11, 1981, although some bullet marks have been preserved and can still be seen nowadays. An underground office complex (the so called "bunker") was built under the front square, during the 1973-1980 restorations to provide a safe escape for then President General Augusto Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
in case of an attack.
During President Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. He won the 1999-2000 presidential election by a narrow margin in a runoff over Independent Democrat Union candidate Joaquín Lavín...
's administration, the palace's inner courtyards were opened to the public during certain hours of the day. Lagos also re-opened Morandé 80
Morandé 80
Morandé 80 is the street address for a door located on the east side of Palacio de La Moneda, the Chilean presidential palace. The door was built in 1906 so that the President could enter into the palace as a common citizen...
— a gate used by Chilean presidents to enter the palace since the early 20th century. It was eliminated during the restoration of the palace as not being in the original plans, but was restored because of the heavy symbolism attached to it as being the gate through which Chilean Presidents entered La Moneda skipping the main's gate guard protocol or, in other words, as ordinary citizens of the Republic. It was also the gate through which the body of President Allende was taken out after the 1973 coup.
In April 2006, Plaza de la Ciudadanía
Plaza de la Ciudadanía
Plaza de la Ciudadanía is a public square located in the southern façade of the Palacio de La Moneda . It used to be part of the grass garden and parking area of the Palace....
("Citizenry Square") was opened on its southern façade, replacing a parking lot. The square was continued south of the Alameda avenue as Plaza de La Cultura ("Square of Culture"). A plan to connect both squares to create a single pedestrian zone, tunneling the avenue in between, has been scrapped.
A traditional guard mounting
Guard Mounting
Guard Mounting, or Changing the Guard , refers to a formal ceremony in which sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries...
happens every odd-numbered day, including Sundays, at 10 a.m.