Casa Museo Villa Mercedes, House museum in Ate, Peru
Casa Museo Villa Mercedes is a single-storey house in Californian neo-colonial style at kilometre 8.9 of the Carretera Central in Ate, Lima. It was the Lima residence of APRA founder Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre from 1968 until his death in 1979, and since 2 August 1985 it has displayed his personal belongings.
Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, founder of the APRA party, lived in this single-storey neo-colonial Californian house from 1968 until his death in 1979; it was lent to him by the Ganoza-de la Torre family at the suggestion of his cousin Mercedes de la Torre Collard, after whom the villa is named. Six years after his death, on 2 August 1985, the house became a museum displaying his personal belongings. In 2016 part of the collection, furniture and a bust at the entrance were stolen.
The house bears the name of Mercedes de la Torre Collard, Haya de la Torre's cousin, who arranged the loan of the property from the Ganoza-de la Torre family in the 1960s. Aprista supporters gather here each 22 February for the Día de la Fraternidad Aprista, Haya's birthday, and on 2 August to mark his death.
The house stands at kilometre 8.9 of the Carretera Central in Ate, on a single storey with no lift, so access is at street level. Visits centre on the rooms where Haya de la Torre lived from 1968 until his death in 1979. The museum is run by aprista supporters, so opening depends on them; confirm before travelling.
The house is named after Mercedes de la Torre Collard, Haya de la Torre's cousin, whose family lent him the property in the 1960s. In 2016 part of the collection, furniture and a bust at the entrance were stolen.
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