Museo Baburizza

History

The Baburizza palace was established in 1916 by the Italian businessman Otorino Zanelli. At his death his widow sold it in 1925 to the Croatian businessman (then of Yugoslav nationality) Pascual Baburizza. (1875 - 1940). This had arrived in Chile in 1892 and was engaged in foreign trade and nitrate in Iquique and Antofagasta.

The palace was built by the native architects of Trieste Arnaldo Barizon and Renato Schiavon. In these years Trieste belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They studied in Vienna, at the school of architecture under the influence of the movement known as "The Secession", Austrian version of German Expressionism. All the exterior bars and the internal bars doors were hand-made in the workshop of Italian founder and locksmith Giovanni Santambrogio.

The palace is a mixture of two architectural and artistic styles. Art Nouveau and Art Deco, more elements of modernism. Baburizza proceeded to modify its interior, add a living room (of the gobelino) where there was a terrace and a tower in the highest part, plus an annex house where his sister lived. Currently both houses are linked by a patio on the first floor and a glass bridge on the second floor. Externally, the facade of the palace is continuous and there are no differences between the two buildings.

Baburizza died in 1940, in the Andes of tuberculosis and in his testament he donated his European painting collection to the city, he was single and had no direct descendants, he donated his space outside his residence for a public walk called "Paseo Americano", Upon his death the municipality changed its name to "Yugoslavian Walk" in homage to the famous citizen of that nationality.

The house was left in the hands of his heirs who sold it to the municipality in 1972, the museum was moved and installed in this palace in 1972. The palace and its collections were declared a National Monument in 1978. From Baburizza sun real estate was a French table and a furnished living room, since it is a national monument, no modification has been made to its façade, nor to the patrimonial spaces, nor have the original staircases and trellises been modified. The chimneys are original to the house, as are the coffered ceilings of the skies and walls.

The museum functioned until 1997 when it was closed for the structural years and after remaining closed for 15 years it has again opened to the public. It has more than 2000 square meters of surface distributed in five levels of exhibition.