Chile Guide
Santiago
Palacio de la Real Audiencia
Address: Plaza de Armas 951
The splendid Palacio de la Real Audiencia, an immaculately preserved colonial building, has borne witness to some of Santiago's most important turns of history. Built by the Spanish Crown between 1804 and 1807 to house the royal courts of justice, it had served this purpose for just two years when Chile's first government junta assembled here to replace the Spanish governor with its own elected leader. Eight years later it was the meeting place of Chile's first Congress, and the building was the seat of government until 1846, when President Bulnes moved to La Moneda. The Palacio's grand old rooms, arranged around a large central courtyard, today house the Museo Histórico Nacional.