La Moneda, Santiago

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La Moneda, is the seat of the President of the Republic of Chile and houses the offices of three cabinet ministers. It was originally built as the colonial mint with construction starting in 1784. The mint was opened in 1805 and coins were produced here until 1929. It became the seat of government and presidential residence in 1845.

The Plaza de la Constitución was built in front of the palace in 1930.

A traditional guard mounting happens every odd-numbered day, including Sundays, at 10 a.m

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La Moneda faces the Plaza de la Constitucion. Palicio de la Moneda is the presidential palace and was known worldwide for the military coup in 1973 that brought the former dictator, Pinochet, to power and death of the President Salvador Allende. The neoclassical building stages the changing of the guard every other day at 10.00 am. You can visit the inner courtyards during the weekdays.

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La Moneda was built in 1784. I t was designed by the same Italian architect who designed the Cathedral, Joaquín Toesca. The building's original purpose was to be the country's official mint, which is why it is known as La Moneda (The Mint). It became the presidential palace in 1845. In 1973 during the military coup, led by Augustin Pinochet, La Moneda was bombed and President Salvador Allende committed suicide in his office here, rather than surrender. Members of the public, including a good friend of mine, who recounted the event to me, filed in to see his body, slumped at his desk.

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The changing of the Guards ceremony was great to see, but I also loved the music played by the military band.

During the ceremony they played different marsh music.

But then near the end they played a kind of medley of non military music that was a bit funny as you do not expect that they would play that kind of music at a military ceremony

In the medley you could recognise different well-known songs like There comes the bride, God save the queen, Djingle bells, Down by the river, ... and many other tunes I know (but I do not know there name)

See Video to hear the medley.

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Palacio La Moneda, the presidential palace, located tat the Plaza de la Constitucion.

This imposing building was first used as The Mint, which explains the name : La Moneda.

Later on it was used as presidential palace, the president doesn't house her, and the presidential offices are here.

At the big square there is one of the rare monuments of the former president Salvador Allende.

At this same square there is every other day a big changing of the guard’s ceremony, at 10 o'clock. (See further tips)

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El Palacio de La Moneda is located in what is known as Santiago's civic district, surrounded by different national departments. The construction of this large building began in 1784, following the plans of Italian architect Joaquín Toesca, who had also worked on the Catedral Metropolitana. The building's original purpose was to be the country's official mint, which is why it is still known today as "La Moneda". It became the seat of the government of Chile in 1845.

In 1973, the building was badly damaged by bombs launched during the military coup that put Augusto Pinochet at the head of the country - Salvador Allende, who was President of the Republic at the time, is believed to have committed suicide at La Moneda during the coup and a statue honors his memory on the Plaza de la Constitucion, in front of the Palace. In the years that followed the coup, La Moneda was restored and today it still houses presidential offices. Unfortunately, we were too late for the changing-of-the-guard ceremony, but we did catch a protest on Plaza de la Constitucion!

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Having been built to function as Santiago's Royal Mint but, following independence, for the next 110 years, from 1848 to 1958, the elegant white palace known as La Moneda was the home of Chile's Presidents. The president no longer lives here but the building remains the country's official seat of government.

It lies between the Alameda to the south and the enormous Plaza de la Constitution on the north side. There is a public entry on the north side to the inner courtyards, where you'll find fountains, orange trees and some very smartly uniformed guards - they're police officers, not soldiers, despite the jackboots and high peaked hats.

Looking at its pristine facade, it's hard to believe that only 35 years ago this is the building that was bombed to a ruin in air attacks ordered by General Pinochet in the coup that saw the deposing and murder of the democratically-elected Communist president Salvador Allende. The generals are gone now and as Allende surveys the scene from his plinth right beside the palace, flowers regularly declare " Allende Vive" (photo 5)

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La Moneda / the Presidential Palace is in the centre of Santiago, well guarded by the official guards in fancy uniforms and you are able to see also the interior of the palace and some innercourts, but you will have to queue up so I skipped it, because I did not have enough time.
In front of the palace there is a small park, where you can see the monuments of Salvador Allende and other former presidents of Chile.
At the other side, facing the ringroad-boulevard there is a great fountain that is worth seeing (see my last 2 photographs!)

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La Moneda is the Presidential Palace, something of a misnomer since the president doesn't live there at all... it is her office, however. It was here in 1973 that Salvador Allende took refuge when the Pinochet regime went all out to oust him. While holed up in the palace, the airforce bombed and strafed the palace attempting to force Allende out. Rather than surrender, Allende gave an impassioned speech to the citizens condemning Pinochet and his followers by radio then took his own life.

You can enter the palace courtyard and, at least when we were there, see a display of contemporary sculpture by Chilean artists. This may be a rotating display... I'm not sure. There also is a changing of the guard every second day at 10:00 A.M.

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The La Moneda Palace is located downtown Santiago. It is an important historical building in the political history of Santiago, in particular the era of President Salvador Allende's term when the palace was bombed and where Allende allegedly committed suicide. This was the lead into the Pinochet coup.

La Moneda is currently the government building and tourists are able to wander through. They have some lovely parks either side of it but don't even think of sitting on the grass or anything as it is not allowed.

When the free trade agreement between NZ and Chile came into law in Chile I attended a signing ceremony in La Moneda where President Michelle Bachelet signed the papers.