Casa de Nariño
Casa de Nariño | |
---|---|
Nuñez Square | |
General information | |
Architectural style | Neoclassical |
Address | Carrera 8 A Number 7-26, Bogotá, D.C. |
Coordinates | 4°35′44″N 74°4′39″W / 4.59556°N 74.07750°W |
Current tenants | Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia and First family |
Construction started | September 4, 1906 |
Completed | July 20, 1908 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Gaston Lelarge Julián Lombana |
Designated | August 7, 1908 |
The Casa de Nariño (Spanish pronunciation: ['ka sa ðe 'na ri]), literally the House of Nariño, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Colombia. It houses the main office of the executive branch and is located in the capital city of Bogotá, Colombia. It was dedicated in 1908 after being constructed on the site of the house where Antonio Nariño was born. The design was made by architects Gaston Lelarge, a French-born former pupil of Charles Garnier, and Julián Lombana.
In 1980, the structure was rededicated after the construction of additions. The building also houses works of art and furnishings from different periods of the history of art. Its garden houses the Observatorio Astronómico de Bogotá, designed by the Capuchin friar-architect Domingo de Petrés and built in 1802-03. Historically, the building has been called “Palacio de Nariño” but given Bogota’s close ties to Washington, it is now common to hear “Casa de Nariño”. Both versions are equally acceptable culturally.
History
The grand house, located halfway along the first Carrera Street, was bought by Don Vicente Nariño in 1754 for 5,200 “patacones”. There Vicente Nariño and Catalina Álvarez lived with their children for approximately 30 years, until Nariño died.[1] It was then when his wife and children received it in inheritance according to Nariño's will in 1778.
On April 9, 1765, the third of the eight children of the Nariño family was born,
On October 23, 1885,
Remodeling
In 1972 an extension and a remodeling of the building were proposed, these changes were made during the presidency of Alfonso López Michelsen, between 1974 and 1978 .[6] the remodeling works kept the seventh Carrera façade in its original form, but the remaining parts of the building were redesigned including the gardens, the National Observatory, the Plaza de Armas (Parades Square), the neoclassical style portico and the west wing that left the palace totally isolated from the other buildings. The restoration works were carried out by the architect Fernando Alsina, who was an auditor of the Ministry of public works. In order to make a complete restoration and extension of the palace it was necessary to demolish some nearby buildings such as the house of the Botanical Expedition, the mail administration and the house of Camilo Torres, among others. The total cost of the works was 250 million Colombian pesos. .[7]
During this epoch a good number of buildings near to the Casa de Nariño were declared as 'National Monuments of Colombia', including the Astronomic Observatory, the National Capitol, The Echeverri Palace, The Church of San Agustin, the Claustro de San Agustin, the Church of Santa Clara, the college of San Bartolomé, Bolívar Square and the historic sector of La Candelaria. To move the presidency back to the Casa de Nariño took around ten months between 1979 and 1980 and its re-inauguration was made during the government of
Urban context
The Casa de Nariño is located on Seventh Street (Calle Séptima) between Seventh Avenue (Av.
Seventh Street was made following the original riverbed direction of the San Agustin River that used to pass behind the Casa de Nariño. The riverbed was altered in 1909 and covered by Calle Séptima in 1979. With the expansion of the street the Sucre monument had to be relocated to the Ayacucho Square on the east side of the Casa de Nariño.[13]
On the eastern side of Seventh Road is the Casa Republicana (Spanish for Republican House), the former Imperial Hotel, Ayacucho Square and The Presidential Administrative Building. On the west side of Eighth Street (Carrera Octava) is the Claustro de San Agustin and the Vice presidency building, both of them were built on the places where Camilo Torres’ house and the Office of the Botanical Expedition used to be.
On the north side of the Casa de Nariño, and in front of the neoclassical "pórtico", is the Plaza de Armas (Weapons Square), Antonio Nariño's statue and the Patio de
Description
On the north side of the palace, is the Plaza de Armas (Parade Square), a place where foreign guests are received with military honors. On the north side of this square are two sculptures: A replica of the pre-Columbian anthropomorphic stone sculpture called “El dios de la muerte” (Spanish for the God of Death), whose original can be found in the
On the west side of the Plaza de Armas is the National Observatory designed and built by the Capuchin architect brother Domingo de Petrés between March 24, 1802 and August 20, 1803, and whose first director was José Celestino Mutis. The Observatory is the oldest in America and there the leaders of the first conspiracy movements reunited to plan the revolution of July 20, the first step to Colombian independence. Currently, the observatory is part of the National University.
On the Plaza de Armas the traditional Cambio de Guardia del Palacio (Changing of the Palace Guard) is carried out every day by the 37th Infantry Battalion, (Presidential Guard Battalion). This military parade is one of the most famous acts performed on the Plaza de Armas, because the whole battalion reunites to do it. In front of the Plaza de Armas and the Patio de Rafael Nuñez, is a statue of Antonio Nariño by the French sculptor Henri-Léon Gréber made in 1910 and was relocated on July 19, 1980.
First Floor
In the main entrance is the Pasillo de las Banderas (Hall of flags), where the flags of the
After the hall of flags there is another room called the Bargueños Room or the Baules Room (Hall of trunks), that serves as a waiting room for visitors. The trunks of this room were the property of
Another interesting part of the palace is the Salon Luis XV (Louis XV room) or Salon Carlos Holguin, so called from the oil painting of the former president
Outside the doors of the Luis XV Salon is the Patio de los Novios (Suitors' Court), this place is where the carriages used to enter in the original construction, in the center of the patio there is a fountain and also a sculpture called Anudamiento (Knotting) by
Second Floor
Upstairs there is an anteroom where there is a picture, painted by
The Council of Ministers Room (El Salón de Consejo de Ministros) is the place where the president meets with his/her ministers and is decorated with the picture El Cóndor by
The main dining room of the Casa de Nariño is known as the Salón Azul (Blue room) or Salón Patria (Patriotic Room). It is decorated with enormous landscapes from different regions of Colombia, painted by
The Salón Bolivar (Bolívar Room) or Red Room is a space designed for special meetings and celebrations. In this room there is an oil painting of Simón Bolívar known as Bolívar Viviente by Ricardo Acevedo Bernal. The Emerald Room is decorated in Empire style, the highlights of which are the convex mirrors and the 19th century clock that still works.
Security
The Casa de Nariño is guarded by the
The battalion is part of the Army's 5th Division (13th Infantry Brigade), and is composed of 1,400 people: 29 officers, 116 NCOs, 1,189 soldiers and 66 civilian personnel, it is subdivided into several companies: Córdova Company (Infantry), Rondon Troop (Cavalry), also known as “Los ponis de la Rondón” (Spanish for the Rondon ponies), Ricaurte Battery (Artillery), Caldas Company (Engineers) (named after
Resolution 3446 of August 17, 1955, created the medallion “Guardia Presidencial” and Decree 1880 of 1988 ruled the award merits for this prize given to the distinguished members of the battalion for their loyalty, service and good behavior.
On select weekdays and weekends the public can see the flag lowering and
See also
- Palácio do Planalto
- Carondelet Palace
- Miraflores Palace
- White House
- Government Palace (Peru)
- La Moneda Palace
- Los Pinos
- 24 Sussex Drive
- Government House
- Museum of the Revolution (Cuba)
- Casa Rosada
- Palacio Quemado
- State House, Guyana
- Mburuvichá Roga
- Residencia de Suarez
References
- ^ a b "Reseña histórica de la Casa de Nariño". Presidencia de la República. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ "Bogotá ha enfrentado siete terremotos". El Espectador. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "Historia del Palacio de San Carlos". Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "Bogotá y sus palacios". Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
- ^ "Casas Presidenciales". El Tiempo. 11 July 1998. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Sedes de gobierno". Universidad de Los Andes. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Todo lo que usted quería saber sobre el Palacio". Bogotá: El Tiempo. 20 April 1980. p. 1-B. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- ^ "Billetes de 1000 pesos". Colección virtual numismática. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ "La televisión a Color para todos 1979". Banco de la República. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ "Trece muertos y una treintena de heridos ensombrecen la investidura". El País. Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Alerta por ataques de Farc por posesión presidencial". El Nuevo Siglo. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
- ^ "Sargento de la Armada robó "El cóndor" de la Casa de Nariño". El Mundo. 10 March 2007. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
- ^ "Folleto del tour por la Casa de Nariño" (PDF). Presidencia de la República. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
- ^ "Bogotá, un museo a cielo abierto" (PDF). Alcaldía Mayor de Bogotá. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
- ^ "Batallón Guardia Presidencial: 80 años al servicio del Presidente de la República y su familia". Presidencia de la República. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.