Castellani House, Guyana facts for kids
Castellani House in 2023
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Quick facts for kids General information |
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| Town or city | Georgetown |
| Country |  Guyana |
| Coordinates | 6°48′21″N 58°08′59″W / 6.80593°N 58.14960°W |
| Construction started | 1879 |
Castellani House is a beautiful old building in Georgetown, Guyana. It stands proudly near the Botanical Gardens. A talented architect named Cesar Castellani designed and built it. Construction happened between 1879 and 1882.
This grand house was once a home for important government officials. Today, Castellani House is very special. Since 1993, it has been home to Guyana's National Art Gallery. Here, you can see amazing artworks from Guyanese artists.
Contents
The Story of Castellani House
Building a Grand Home
Castellani House was designed by Cesar Castellani. He was a famous architect during Guyana's colonial times. This means when Guyana was ruled by another country. The house was first meant for a government scientist. This scientist, George Samuel Jenman, studied plants.
Mr. Jenman wanted some changes to the house. He waited until these changes were finished in 1882. After he moved in, the house became home to other important agriculture leaders.
Changes Over Time
The house grew bigger in 1942. A third floor was added to the original two. More changes happened in 1965. A Guyanese architect, Hugh McGregor Reid, updated the building.
From 1965 to 1985, Castellani House was a very important residence. It was the official home for Guyana's Prime Minister, Forbes Burnham. A Prime Minister is a country's main leader. During this time, everyone just called it "the Residence."
In the 1990s, another building, State House, became the president's home.
A New Life for Art
After some big repairs, Castellani House opened its doors again in 1993. It became the National Art Gallery. This was a wonderful new purpose for the historic building. The first person to manage the gallery was Everley Austin. Elfrieda Bissember has been the curator since 1996. A curator is like a manager for an art collection.
Guyana's National Art Gallery
Exploring the Art Collection
Castellani House is home to a huge collection of art. There are over 700 artworks inside! These pieces show the talent of many Guyanese artists.
You can see paintings and sculptures by famous artists. Some of these include Frank Bowling, E. R. Burrowes, Stanley Greaves, Bernadette Persaud, George Simon, Denis Williams, and Aubrey Williams. Each artist tells a unique story through their work.
