History in Palacio de La Moneda

No place in Santiago has as much historical significance as the Palacio de La Moneda. Now the home of the Chilean Government, the palace was the scene of a violent coup in 1973 that eventually cost the lives of thousands of Chileans. Today La Moneda is also an interesting architectural landmark, where you will enjoy learning about Chile’s culture and history with a visit to the cultural centre in the basement.

Originally, La Moneda was not a palace at all: it was built in 1784 to house the National Mint. The building is named after the Spanish word for mint or coin - ‘moneda’. It only became the seat of the government in 1846. In 1973, the world watched as the palace was in the very midst of General Pinochet’s violent coup. La Moneda was heavily bombed when incumbent president Salvador Allende refused to leave. In 1981, it was again reinstated as a palace.