Chile Guide
Santiago
Municipalidad
Address: Northeast corner of the Plaza de Armas
The pale, Neoclassical edifice of Santiago's Municipalidad stands by the Plaza de Armas. The first cabildo (town hall) was erected on this site back in the early seventeenth century and also contained the city's prison. Several reconstructions and restorations have taken place since then, most recently in 1895. A curious feature is that the basement is still divided into the original cells of the old prison, now used as offices. Note the city's coat of arms on the central pediment above the flags; it was donated by King Carlos V in 1552 to consolidate Santiago's status as a city.