- Address: 25 de Mayo 376, Montevideo 11100, Uruguay
- Phone: +598 2915 6060
- Working hours: 12: 30-17: 40
In the capital of Uruguay - Montevideo - there is the Old Town, where you can get acquainted with the history of the country. One of the most interesting and beautiful institutions here is the Palacio Taranco Palace.
Interesting facts about the building
To the basic information that will be of interest to visitors, it is possible to attribute the following facts:
- The palace is located on Plaza Zabala and consists of three floors. It was built as a residence for the brothers Ortiz from Taranko. The building was built in 1910 on the site of the first Moscow theater.
- The project of the construction was made by famous French architects Jules Chifflotte Leon and Charles Louis Giraud (authors of the Arc de Triomphe and the Small Palace in Paris, the Congo Museum in Brussels and the French Embassy in Vienna). The facade and interior of the building were made in the eclectic style of Louis the Sixteenth.
- Taranko Palace has marble floors and wooden decor, tapestries hang on the walls, and it is decorated with classical elements, giving it luxury and pomposity, remotely resembling Versailles. All furniture, household items and things are original and exclusive. They were specially manufactured and brought here from Europe. In the courtyard are fountains, beautiful flower beds, sculptures and majestic columns.
- In 1940, one of the brothers Ortiz died, and his heirs decided in 1943 to sell their residence together with all the furniture to the Governor of Montevideo. The latter gave the palace to the Ministry of Education.
- Since 1972 the building of the Museum of Decorative Arts, which still preserves the spirit of that period. The administration of the establishment tried to reproduce as much as possible the situation of its original owners. In 1975, the government of the country declared Taranko a National Historical Monument.
What is in the palace today?
There are various exhibits of classical art: sculptures, paintings, ornaments and household items. On the first two floors the furniture of Louis Fifteenth and Louis Sixteenth, which was finely encrusted, was preserved. Even in the museum there are works of famous artists:
- Ribers;
- Teniersa;
- Mirevelta;
- Van der Helst;
- Sorolla;
- Pradilla and other well-known authors.
All the pictures hang in the gilded frames. Also in the palace are the sculptures of Vermara, Landowski, Buchard.
In the basement is an archaeological collection consisting of ceramic, glass, silver and bronze ware. There is a large number of textiles in the palace: from the Flemish tapestries to the Persian blinds. Here the perfumes, oils and ointments of the first owners were preserved.
Of particular interest to tourists is several pianofortes, one of which is made in the Baroque style and decorated with Greco-Roman drawings. On the top floor of the building there is a library and a terrace.
Visit to the Taranko Palace
The museum is open to visitors daily from 12:30 and until 17:40, on Friday there are children's tours. Entrance to the institution is free, you can take photos of everything. The staff in the palace are very friendly, ready to always come to the rescue. In Taranko, the Uruguayan government often holds state meetings.
How to get to the sights?
From the city center to the museum it is most convenient to walk along the streets: Rincón, Sarandi and 25 de Mayo, the journey time will take up to 15 minutes.
The Taranko Palace reflects the life of the urban aristocracy at the beginning of the 20th century. Here is a wonderful architecture and interesting exhibits. After visiting the institution, you can see the Old World of Europe in the heart of Montevideo .