Former National Congress Building, Santiago

Six grand colonnades adorn the stately and elegant facade of Former National Congress Building, where Chilean Congress once met until the socialist government was overthrown by the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in September 1973. Congress was then moved to a new location, leaving the old building to be declared a national monument in 1976. Original construction began in 1851, but the building was rebuilt in 1901 following a devastating fire. Exotic trees and plants fill the garden that surrounds the building. Sit on the lawns, have a picnic in the shade, and admire the building's architecture from the exterior. Public access to the interior is offered on a limited basis. PutFormer National Congress Building into our Santiago online vacation planner and find out what's close by, where to stay, and where to head next.