Venetian Palace (Lima)

Brief information

The Venetian Palace in Lima was conceived not merely as an ornate house in European taste: its rear facade faced the Rimac River and was connected with a project that sought to turn the river into something like a Venetian canal. Therefore, what matters is not only the model of the Doge's Palace, but also the building's orientation: what was "Venetian" here was the very way of looking toward the water.

The palace stood in the historic center, near the Puente de Piedra bridge and the Government Palace, but it has not survived to the present day. After its demolition by the military government, the site did not become the promised waterfront promenade: it was used as a parking lot, then as a street market, and now the Alameda Chabuca Granda esplanade is located here. The place is read through absence: the current open space occupies the site of a building that was designed around the river.

What to notice first

There is no information about any surviving details of the palace: the source text says the building was demolished. Therefore, the main focus is to compare what has disappeared with how the site was laid out and reused.

It makes sense to keep three confirmed details in mind. The first is the rear facade: it faced the river and was executed in the Venetian style, meaning the waterside was an important part of the concept. The second is the abandoned Lima port project: the canal was supposed to make the river resemble the canals of Venice, and this explains why the palace copied not only an architectural image but also an urban idea. The third is the underground tunnel beneath the river, connected with the estate: it adds an invisible lower connection between the banks to the site. After the demolition, the place changed roles abruptly and prosaically: from a palace and waterfront project to a parking lot, market, and esplanade.