Palacio Quemado

The Bolivian Palace of Government, better known as Palacio Quemado (Spanish: [paˈlasjo keˈmaðo], Burnt Palace), was the official residence of the President of Bolivia from 1853 to 2018 and again briefly from 2019 to 2020. It is located in downtown La Paz on Plaza Murillo, next to the La Paz Cathedral and across from the Bolivian legislature. On 9 August 2018, it was replaced by the Casa Grande del Pueblo as the residence of the president by President Evo Morales. The interim government of Jeanine Áñez briefly reverted to occupying the Palacio Quemado from 2019 until 2020 when the newly elected Luis Arce returned to using the Casa Grande.[1] It now serves as a museum.

The Palacio Quemado, La Paz

Its nickname originates from the fact that it was set aflame and burned almost to the ground during an uprising in 1875.[2] It has since been rebuilt and redecorated a number of times, but the name stuck.

History
The lamppost where Gualberto Villarroel was hanged

The Palacio Quemado earned its nickname of the "Burnt Palace" in 1875, when it was badly damaged during a violent revolution.[3] Rebels, who opposed then-President Tomás Frías Ametller, set the palace alight after they failed to storm it.[3]

In front of the Palacio Quemado is the bust of former President Gualberto Villarroel, who was dragged into the plaza by an angry mob and hanged from a lamppost in 1946.[3][4]

Buildings

The buildings were completed in 1853.[3]

Notes
  1. "Arce ingresa a la Casa Grande del Pueblo para iniciar sus funciones como Presidente". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  2. Adès 2004, p. 224.
  3. Read 2002, p. 70.
  4. Murphy, Perkins & Hannary, p. 79.

References
  • Adès, Harry (2004). The Rough Guide to South America. London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-907-6.
  • Read, James (2002). The Rough Guide to Bolivia. London: Rough Guides. ISBN 1-85828-847-9.
  • Murphy, Alan; Perkins, Roger; Hannary, Kate (2002). Bolivia Handbook. Bath, England: Footprint Handbooks. ISBN 1-903471-21-4.


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