Palacio de las Academias: 69 years since it was declared a National Historic Monument

Published at: 06/04/2025 09:26 AM

On April 6, 1956, the Palace of Academies was declared a National Historical Monument, a colonial structure with neogothic elegance, located between the corners of La Bolsa and San Francisco, on University Avenue, in front of the Federal Legislative Palace, in the Cathedral parish of Caracas.

In the colonial period, the archaic Convent of the Immaculate Conception of Caracas, belonging to the Franciscan order, was located there.

These convent buildings were demolished in continuous earthquakes and rebuilt until the 18th century, forming the main body of the current building.

In 1883, the building was incorporated into the National Exhibition, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Liberator Simon Bolivar. Numerous educational institutions also operated there, such as the University of Caracas, the current Central University of Venezuela (UCV), in the periods from the end of the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century, when it was permanently moved to the University City, in Los Chaguaramos, San Pedro parish in the Venezuelan capital.

It should be noted that, due to the existence of several colonial and historic buildings on the aforementioned avenue in Caracas, the Mayor's Office of the Libertador Municipality decided to name this space as Paseo Patrimonial.

Currently, the building is home to the main academies in Venezuela, which is why it is called the Palace of Academics.

The structure consists of two levels, has a rectangular level where three corridors are organized linearly and sequentially, which are delimited by a succession of columns with lowered arches.

The current figure of its main façade is the product of its transformation from the original colonial façade to a Neo-Gothic design, prepared in 1873, by the architect Juan Hurtado Manrique.

In 1952, it was decided to move the academies of history, languages, medicine, mathematics, physical and natural sciences to the building and on April 6, 1956, it was declared a National Historic Monument.

Mazo News Team