Administration Building of Valparaiso. Valparaiso - CHILE

Direccion: Melgarejo 669, Valpara�so
Phone: +56 32 221 2098

The Sotomayor Square in the Administration building are the civic center of Valparaiso, and have been the scene of major civilian and military events in the city.

The building is located in the same place that was located in the former municipality, built in the early nineteenth century, which had to be demolished in 1900 by the poor state of its foundations. For the construction of the new municipality, the state convened in 1906 to a contest between the bases setting the condition that the building should serve as the seat of the provincial government, Mayors residence, place of residence for official receptions and summer Presidents of the Republic.

The competition was won by architect Ernesto Urquieta, who built other important buildings in Valparaiso as the Catholic University, the Empire Theater and the Franco-Belgian bank. The project was inaugurated in 1910 during the centennial celebrations of Independence.



The palace is building a strong and noble design, inspired by French architecture of the period of the reign of Louis, specifically in the Palace Consistorial Paris. Its architect was well committed to the eclectic spirit in the current era.

The building occupies the south side of the Plaza Sotomayor, and has a total area of 8,000 square meters, spread over five floors and three bodies with numerous rooms and halls. It consists of two main floors and a mansard to latest level. Its facade presents a varied mix of ornamental plaster and stone, has a nice set of volumes of inbound and outbound and numerous openings, the windows on the third floor have balconies that open to the Plaza, at its core there is a higher clock and a dome.

In the central interior access, which leads directly to the second floor, which consists of a large marble staircase. The doors are protected by iron trellis worked beautifully. The halls and rooms with fine finishes and some sections of the palace have kept their lamps and fine furniture from Paris. Also a few skylights, which are in perfect condition.

For several decades, this palace was a center of social life, in brilliant holiday, met the Buenos Aires society during celebrations or receptions illustrious visitors. Today the building is occupied by the Commander in Chief of the First Naval Zone and the Military Garrison of Valparaiso.