Palacio de Torre Tagle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Palacio de Torre Tagle |
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| General information | |
| Location | Lima, Peru |
The Palacio de Torre Tagle is a very old and beautiful building in Lima, Peru. It was built a long time ago, when Peru was still a colony of Spain. Today, it is the main office for Peru's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This means it's where important government meetings about other countries happen. You can find it in the historic center of Lima, not far from the main square.
The palace covers a large area, about 1699 square meters. Many of the materials used to build it, like wood and stone, came from far away places like Spain, Panama, and other countries in Central America.
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History of the Palace
This amazing mansion was started in the early 1700s and finished in 1735. It was built for a man named José Bernardo de Tagle Bracho. The King of Spain, Philip V of Spain, gave him the special title of "Marquis of Torre Tagle" in 1730. A marquis is a noble title, like a duke or count. So, José Bernardo became the first Marquis of Torre Tagle.
The Peruvian government bought this historic building on June 27, 1918. They paid S/. 320,000 for it. It was bought from the family members of the fourth Marquis of Torre Tagle. In 1956, a Spanish architect named Andrés Boyer helped restore the palace. Since 1918, it has been the main office for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru.
What the Palace Looks Like
Outside the Palace: The Facade
The front of the Palacio de Torre Tagle is designed in a style called Baroque, which came from Spain. It has beautiful carved stone entrances and arches. You'll also see two amazing wooden balconies made from cedar and mahogany wood. These balconies show a special style called Mudéjar, which mixes Spanish and Islamic art.
An architect named Héctor Velarde Bergmann once said that the Palacio de Torre Tagle is a "symbol of Lima" because of its unique style and beauty. He also said that it blends Spanish, Peruvian, and even Asian influences in a charming way.
The outside of the palace is quite special because it's not perfectly even. This unevenness actually makes it look more lively and balanced. The main entrance is carved from stone. Above it, you can see the family symbol of the Torre Tagle family. It has a saying that means:
"Tagle was called the one that killed the snake and got married with the infanta."
On the second floor, there are two famous balconies. They are considered the most beautiful from the colonial time. They are made of carved cedar and mahogany wood and show the Mudéjar style. They are also uneven: one has three sections, and the other has seven. Both balconies are completely closed with wooden blinds. These balconies show how the Mudéjar style changed into the Spanish-American Baroque style. They have carved wooden supports with designs that look like they came from India.
The windows on the ground floor are simple and have strong iron bars. This simple style is a contrast to the fancy balconies above. The main wooden door is very big and decorated with bronze nails. It has two large door knockers. This door opens into an entrance hall called a "zaguan." This hall has four stone arches and a stone floor. On the right and left sides of the zaguan, there are small steps. Ladies used these steps to get onto their horses more easily.
Near the entrance, there used to be a chain. This chain showed that the palace had the right of "Asylum." This meant that if someone was in danger, they could find safety inside the palace, just like some churches in Lima offered this protection. The walls of the zaguan are decorated with colorful Spanish tiles called azulejos, and the ceiling has beautiful wooden carvings.
Inside the Palace: What's Inside?
The zaguan leads to the first courtyard. This courtyard is wide, bright, and surrounded by elegant railings, arches, and columns in the Mudéjar style. It was designed to be the main center of the whole building. The style inside is mostly Spanish Baroque with a clear Mudéjar influence, especially on the two floors around the central courtyard. You reach the upper floor by a grand staircase. At the entrance of the staircase, there is a beautiful stone doorway with special arches that also show the Mudéjar style.
On the ceiling above the staircase, you can see the coat of arms of the Marquis. It has three parts showing a knight, a snake, and a maiden. This symbolizes the family's saying: "Tagle was called the one that the snake killed and with the infanta killed." The upper floor of this family home has elegant hallways with tiled lower walls, railings with decorative posts, and fine mosaic floors.
The palace has fourteen rooms, a dining room, a kitchen, and a small chapel. The chapel has a fancy gold-covered altar in the Baroque style, decorated with mirrors. There are also elegant halls. Many of the interesting tiles in the palace date back to 1735. One of the rooms, called the Main Hall, has portraits of the Torre Tagle family. One painting shows Don José Bernardo de Tagle Bracho, the first Marquis of Torre Tagle. He was the one who planned and built the palace. The painting's description says he was a brave captain and the founder of his family's important positions.
Another painting shows his wife. One of the most exciting things to see in the palace is an 18th-century blue and red carriage. This carriage was used by the Marquis of Torre Tagle himself! The second courtyard of the palace was used for the stables, where horses were kept, and for parking old carriages.
Gallery
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Palacio de Torre Tagle in 1866. (From a book by Manuel A. Fuentes).
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Celebrations for Peru's 100 years of independence inside the Palacio de Torre Tagle, photo from 1921.
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Palacio de Torre Tagle in 1930.
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The entrance hall (Zaguan) of the Palacio de Torre Tagle, photo from 1947.
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Palacio de Torre Tagle in 1971.
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"Tagle was called the one that killed the snake and got married with the infanta." This is the saying on the family's coat of arms.
Similar Mansions
- List of buildings in Lima
- Balconies of Lima
See also
In Spanish: Palacio de Torre Tagle para niños
