Peres Pallares Building

Brief information

The Pérez Pallares Building stands on the corner in such a way that its end faces Independence Square, while the main entrance is set on Chile Street. This corner placement is important: the facade can be read from several sides at once, so the eclectic decoration works not as a flat display window, but as a three-dimensional urban marker at the northeastern corner of the square.

In 1914, Fernando Pérez Pallares and Antonino Russo built the Metropolitan Hotel here. Later, the building was occupied by a foundation, a heritage institute, and municipal protocol halls. The most unexpected layer is connected not with the present building, but with the earlier structure on this site: from its balcony, Manuela Sáenz threw a wreath to Simón Bolívar. For this reason, the balconies here are perceived not only as facade decoration, but also as a reminder of the public role of this corner of the city.

What to notice first

It is worth comparing the windows by floor: on the first two they have straight arches, on the third they are segmental, and on the fourth they are in the Art Nouveau style. In this way, the facade shows not a single device, but a gradual change of form from bottom to top. The wrought-iron balconies on brackets connect the middle floors with the street and emphasize the building’s former representative function.

The corner of the building is marked by triple windows and a volume above the cornice. This part attracts attention more strongly than an ordinary facade row, because the building faces two streets and the square at the same time. Color also helps make the restoration legible: the ocher facade is set apart from the dark-green balconies. Inside, according to the original description, important features include the iron-and-glass roof over the courtyard, stamped brass, lower friezes, furniture, and light fixtures that recreate the appearance of the early 20th century.