Palacio Bruna, Manor house in Merced Street, Santiago, Chile
Palacio Bruna is a three-story building in Santiago with Italian Renaissance architecture, tall columns, large windows, and terraces decorated with garland friezes on the facades. The structure brings Italian palazzo styles into the South American context with deliberate elegance.
Senator Augusto Bruna commissioned the palace in 1916, but sold it to the US Embassy in 1921 after the collapse of the nitrate industry left him bankrupt. The change in ownership reflects the economic upheaval that gripped Chile during that era.
The interior displays green and black Italian marble walls, symmetrical staircases, and European wood parquet flooring that reflect how wealthy Santiago residents embraced European elegance in the early 20th century. These details show what styles and materials the local upper class valued at that time.
The building stands on Merced Street across from Parque Forestal and has housed the Chilean National Commerce Chamber since 1995. Its central location makes it easy to visit on foot and include in a walk through the area.
The building served as a residence for US ambassadors from 1939 to 1962 and then as a consulate until 1994 before becoming a National Historic Monument in 1996. This multiple use over more than five decades traces its journey from private home to public symbol.
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