Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago, Historic palace in Plaza de Armas, Santiago, Chile

The Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago is a pale yellow neoclassical building on the north side of the Plaza de Armas, built between 1804 and 1808 by Juan José de Goycolea y Zañartu. A clock tower rises in tiers above the facade to a square belfry with a clock face on each side. A triangular pediment crowns the central section, and a coat of arms sits above the large arched ground-floor entrance. A sign at the base reads "MUSEO HISTORICO NACIONAL".

The neoclassical palace, designed by Juan José de Goycolea y Zañartu, was inaugurated in 1808 on the site of the colonial Real Audiencia. It hosted the First National Congress in 1811 and served as the seat of government during the Patria Vieja (1812–1814). In 1818 Bernardo O'Higgins officially designated it the "Palacio de la Independencia", a role it kept until President Manuel Bulnes moved the government to the Casa de Moneda in 1846.

The palace was the seat of Spanish judicial power during colonial times and visibly represented the empire's authority in the region. Visitors today can observe how the building's layout and rooms were designed to display that power and control.

The site is open Tuesday through Sunday with guided tours available in several languages to help visitors understand the collections. Access from public transport is straightforward, and the interior has stairs and elevators serving all floors.

In 1818 Bernardo O'Higgins officially designated the building the "Palacio de la Independencia" and made it the seat of government, with the president living there and state ministries housed inside until 1846. The name stuck to a palace built for royal judges.