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The Casa de Nariño (), literally the House of Nariño, is the
official residence An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either their own or that of th ...
and principal workplace of the
President of Colombia The president of Colombia (President of the Republic) is the head of state and head of government of Colombia. The president heads the executive branch of the Government of Colombia, national government and is the commander-in-chief of the Mil ...
. It houses the main office of the executive branch and is located in the capital city of
Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...
, Colombia. It was dedicated in 1908 after being constructed on the site of the house where
Antonio Nariño Antonio Amador José de Nariño y Álvarez del Casal (April 9, 1765 – December 13, 1823),Hector, M., and A. Ardila. Hombres y mujeres en las letras de Colombia. 2. Bogota: Magisterio, 2008. 25. Print. was a Colombian ideological wiktionary:p ...
was born. The design was made by architects Gastón Lelarge, a French-born former pupil of Charles Garnier, and Julián Lombana. In 1980, the structure was rededicated after the construction of additions. The building also houses works of art and furnishings from different periods of the history of art. Its garden houses the Observatorio Astronómico de Bogotá, designed by the Capuchin friar-architect Domingo de Petrés and built in 1802-03. Historically, the building has been called “Palacio de Nariño” but given Bogota’s close ties to Washington, it is now common to hear “Casa de Nariño”. Both versions are equally acceptable culturally.


History

The grand house, located halfway along the first Carrera Street, was bought by Don Vicente Nariño in 1754 for 5,200 “patacones”. There Vicente Nariño and Catalina Álvarez lived with their children for approximately 30 years, until Nariño died. It was then when his wife and children received it in inheritance according to Nariño's will in 1778. On April 9, 1765, the third of the eight children of the Nariño family was born,
Antonio Nariño Antonio Amador José de Nariño y Álvarez del Casal (April 9, 1765 – December 13, 1823),Hector, M., and A. Ardila. Hombres y mujeres en las letras de Colombia. 2. Bogota: Magisterio, 2008. 25. Print. was a Colombian ideological wiktionary:p ...
, one of the Colombian Independence's national heroes. After the Nariño family, the property was acquired by a number of owners, including the daughter of the former administrator of the Colombian Mint, Doña Juana Inés Prieto y Ricaurte. The first presidential palace from where Simón Bolivar worked after Colombian Independence was the old viceregal palace (Palacio de los Virreyes), located in the west side of Bolivar square of Bogotá in the current position of the
Palacio Liévano The Palacio Liévano or Lievano Palace is a building located on the west side of the Plaza de Bolivar in Bogotá, Colombia in the cultural and historical hub of the city. The palace is located in La Candelaria, Bogotá, La Candelaria district. Al ...
. On November 16, 1827 one of the most intense earthquakes of the city's history took place, this left the palace partially destroyed. Because of this, Simon Bolívar authorized the purchase of the San Carlos Palace from Juan Manuel Arrubla, and the transfer of the presidential office and the official residence to that property. On October 23, 1885,
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Rafael Núñez, purchased the Nariño house in order to convert it into a presidential palace in observance of its beauty, significance in history, and its proximity to the National Capitol. The presidents stayed there until 1892, during the periods of Rafael Nuñez and Carlos Holguin Mallarino, and under the temporary government of the Generals Eliseo Payán and José María Campo Serrano. Subsequently, the presidential residence was moved again to the San Carlos Palace, while the Nariño house was used as headquarters of the War Ministry, the National Archive, and the National University's faculty of Mathematics. On April 9, 1906, the General Rafael Reyes hired the French architect, Gastón Lelarge, and a local one, Julián Lombana to demolish parts and rebuild the former house. The architects extended the dimensions of the property to Eighth Road and restructured the inner part of the building by creating two levels. They also designed wide halls and improved the façade with carved stones. The complete ornamentation works were carried out by the Swiss sculptor Luigi Ramelli. On July 20, 1908 the government building was officially returned to the Casa de Nariño or Palace of the Carrera (Palacio de la Carrera). During the government of Eduardo Santos the third level and the terrace roof were built, along with a heliport. The government office remained in the Casa de Nariño until 1954, when the General
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla Gustavo Rojas Pinilla (12 March 1900 – 17 January 1975) was a Colombian National Army of Colombia, army general, civil engineer and politician who ruled as List of presidents of Colombia, 19th President of Colombia in a military dictatorship f ...
commanded it to be moved to the chancellery and the presidency came back to the San Carlos Palace. .


Remodeling

In 1972 an extension and a remodeling of the building were proposed, these changes were made during the presidency of
Alfonso López Michelsen Alfonso López Michelsen (30 June 1913 – 11 July 2007) was a Colombian politician and lawyer who served as the 24th President of Colombia from 1974 to 1978. He was nicknamed "El Pollo" (The Chicken), a popular Colombian idiom for people with ...
, between 1974 and 1978 . the remodeling works kept the seventh Carrera façade in its original form, but the remaining parts of the building were redesigned including the gardens, the National Observatory, the Plaza de Armas (Parades Square), the neoclassical style portico and the west wing that left the palace totally isolated from the other buildings. The restoration works were carried out by the architect Fernando Alsina, who was an auditor of the Ministry of public works. In order to make a complete restoration and extension of the palace it was necessary to demolish some nearby buildings such as the house of the
Botanical Expedition Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially their anatomy, taxonomy, and ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who specialises in this field. "Plant" and "botany ...
, the mail administration and the house of Camilo Torres, among others. The total cost of the works was 250 million Colombian pesos. . During this epoch a good number of buildings near to the Casa de Nariño were declared as 'National Monuments of Colombia', including the Astronomic Observatory, the National Capitol, The Echeverri Palace, The Church of San Agustin, the Claustro de San Agustin, the Church of Santa Clara, the college of San Bartolomé, Bolívar Square and the historic sector of La Candelaria. To move the presidency back to the Casa de Nariño took around ten months between 1979 and 1980 and its re-inauguration was made during the government of Julio César Turbay. On April 1, 1979, the bank of the Republic launched to the market the first series of 1000 pesos bills portraying the image of the Casa de Nariño in the seal. On December 11, 1979 the first broadcast of coloured television in Colombian was made with a speech by the former president Turbay followed by images of the new façade of the palace. During the inauguration of
Álvaro Uribe Vélez Álvaro or Álvar (, , ) is a Spanish language, Spanish, Galician language, Galician and Portuguese language, Portuguese male given name and surname of Germanic Visigothic origin. The patronymic surname derived from this name is Álvarez (surname), ...
on 7 August 2002, a homemade rocket crashed into the west façade's cornice and three soldiers were injured as well as 13 people being killed as a result of terrorist attacks all over the city. The consequences of the impact were not major and were rapidly repaired, but because of that the security had to be increased in the zone . On March 9, 2007 the robbery of the picture of “El Cóndor” was reported. It was painted in 1971 by the master
Alejandro Obregón Alejandro Jesús Obregón Rosės (4 June 1920 – 11 April 1992) was a Colombian painter, muralist, sculptor and engraver. Biography Obregón was born in Barcelona, Spain. He was the son of a Colombian father and a Catalan mother. The Obreg ...
and normally decorated the ministry council room in the palace. A few hours later it was discovered that a sergeant belonging to the presidential security body had stolen it and that the picture was stored in a house in the neighborhood,
San Victorino San Victorino is a neighbourhood (''barrio'') of Bogotá, Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colom ...
, from where it was recovered.


Urban context

The Casa de Nariño is located on Seventh Street (Calle Séptima) between Seventh Avenue (Av.
Carrera Séptima Carrera Séptima (Seventh Street), also known as Eduardo Posada Flórez Avenue, is one of the principal transit arteries which crosses the eastern side of Bogotá north and south. It is the most important thoroughfare of the city in the sense ...
) and Eighth Road (Carrera Octava), in the historical sector of La Candelaria. The south side of the house connects to the church of San Agustin and the
Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfoli ...
building as well as the statue of
Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá (; 3 February 1795 – 4 June 1830), known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" (), was a Venezuelan general and politician who served as the president of Bolivia from 1825 to 1828. A close friend and associate ...
. Seventh Street was made following the original riverbed direction of the San Agustin River that used to pass behind the Casa de Nariño. The riverbed was altered in 1909 and covered by Calle Séptima in 1979. With the expansion of the street the Sucre monument had to be relocated to the Ayacucho Square on the east side of the Casa de Nariño. On the eastern side of Seventh Road is the Casa Republicana (Spanish for Republican House), the former Imperial Hotel, Ayacucho Square and The Presidential Administrative Building. On the west side of Eighth Street (Carrera Octava) is the Claustro de San Agustin and the Vice presidency building, both of them were built on the places where Camilo Torres’ house and the Office of the Botanical Expedition used to be. On the north side of the Casa de Nariño, and in front of the neoclassical "pórtico", is the Plaza de Armas (Weapons Square), Antonio Nariño's statue and the Patio de Rafael Nuñez, which faces the National Capitol directly, and was built between 1847 and 1926.


Description

On the north side of the palace, is the Plaza de Armas (Parade Square), a place where foreign guests are received with military honors. On the north side of this square are two sculptures: A replica of the pre-Columbian anthropomorphic stone sculpture called ''“El dios de la muerte”'' (Spanish for the God of Death), whose original can be found in the San Agustin Archaeological Park, and also, a sculpture by Édgar Negret in 1979 titled ''“Vigilantes”'', it is composed of 10 red bent aluminum plates and is dedicated to love and feelings. On the west side of the square are the fountain and the
flagpole A flagpole, flagmast, flagstaff, or staff is a pole designed to support a flag. If it is taller than can be easily reached to raise the flag, a cord is used, looping around a pulley at the top of the pole with the ends tied at the bottom. The fla ...
. On the west side of the Plaza de Armas is the National Observatory designed and built by the Capuchin architect brother Domingo de Petrés between March 24, 1802 and August 20, 1803, and whose first director was
José Celestino Mutis José Celestino Bruno Mutis y Bosio (6 April 1732 – 11 September 1808) was a Spanish people, Spanish priest, botanist and mathematician. He was a significant figure in the Spanish American Enlightenment, whom Alexander von Humboldt met with ...
. The Observatory is the oldest in America and there the leaders of the first conspiracy movements reunited to plan the revolution of July 20, the first step to Colombian independence. Currently, the observatory is part of the National University. On the Plaza de Armas the traditional Cambio de Guardia del Palacio (Changing of the Palace Guard) is carried out every day by the 37th Infantry Battalion, (Presidential Guard Battalion). This military parade is one of the most famous acts performed on the Plaza de Armas, because the whole battalion reunites to do it. In front of the Plaza de Armas and the Patio de Rafael Nuñez, is a statue of Antonio Nariño by the French sculptor Henri-Léon Gréber made in 1910 and was relocated on July 19, 1980.


First Floor

In the main entrance is the Pasillo de las Banderas (Hall of flags), where the flags of the
Military Forces of Colombia The Military Forces of Colombia () are the unified armed forces of the Republic of Colombia. They consist of the Colombian Army, the Colombian Navy and the Colombian Aerospace Force. The National Police of Colombia, although technically not pa ...
are located as follows: the flags of the
Colombian Air Force The Colombian Aerospace Force (FAC, ) is the air force of the Republic of Colombia. The Colombian Aerospace Force is one of the three institutions of the Military Forces of Colombia charged, according to the 1991 Constitution, with working to exe ...
,
Colombian Navy The Colombian Navy, officially the Colombian National Navy (), also known as the ''"Armada Nacional"'' or just the ''"Armada"'' in Spanish, is the naval branch of the Military Forces of Colombia, military forces of Colombia. The Navy is responsi ...
, Colombian National Police and the flag of the central command in the center. In front of the military flags are the flags of Cartagena, Cundinamarca,
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, the one created by
Francisco de Miranda Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez de Espinoza (28 March 1750 – 14 July 1816), commonly known as Francisco de Miranda (), was a Venezuelan military leader and revolutionary who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the French R ...
for the
United Provinces of New Granada The United Provinces of New Granada was a country in South America from 1810 to 1816, a period known in Colombian history as '' la Patria Boba'' ("the Foolish Fatherland"). It was formed from areas of the New Kingdom of Granada, roughly corres ...
and the flag of July 20 (currently the flag of
Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...
). After the hall of flags there is another room called the Bargueños Room or the Baules Room (Hall of trunks), that serves as a waiting room for visitors. The trunks of this room were the property of
Simón Bolívar Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
, and in which he used to carry the most important documents of war. There is also a large painting of
Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
by
Gregorio Vasquez de Arce y Ceballos Gregorio is a masculine given name and a surname. It may refer to: Given name * Gregorio Aglipay (1860–1940), Filipino revolutionary and first supreme bishop of the Philippine Independent Church * Gregorio Conrado Álvarez (1925–2016), Uruguay ...
. Another interesting part of the palace is the Salon Luis XV (Louis XV room) or Salon Carlos Holguin, so called from the oil painting of the former president Carlos Holguin. There is also another oil painting of the former president, General Rafael Reyes. The furniture of the room is in the
Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...
style; there is a lamp in the ceiling that is made of
Murano Murano is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon, northern Italy. It lies about north of Venice and measures about across with a population of just over 5,000 (2004 figures). It is famous for its glass making. It was o ...
glass with bronze incrustations. Outside the doors of the Luis XV Salon is the Patio de los Novios (Suitors' Court), this place is where the carriages used to enter in the original construction, in the center of the patio there is a fountain and also a sculpture called ''Anudamiento'' (Knotting) by
Edgar Negret Edgar is a commonly used masculine English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Edgar'' (composed of '' ead'' "rich, prosperous" and '' gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the Late Middle Ages; it was, howeve ...
. Behind the patio there is a gallery that has the portraits of the last 25 presidents; the one of Simon Bolivar is the only one that remains there when a portrait is removed after a new one arrives. At the bottom of this gallery there is a conference room which is the place where press conferences take place and the presidential speeches are broadcast. The first floor is complemented by the entrance from the Seventh Road where is placed a Roman sculpture of the god Silvanus, made in the 2nd century and was donated by Italy in 1956. In front of the entrance there is the Staircase of Honour that leads to the second floor and has two small sculptures in its base inspired by the Moorish warriors Othello and Lemir. Both the staircase and the room are part of the original construction.


Second Floor

Upstairs there is an anteroom where there is a picture, painted by Tito Salas, representing Bolivar's speech during the installation of the
Congress of Angostura The Congress of Angostura was convened by Simón Bolívar and took place in Angostura (today Ciudad Bolívar) during the wars of independence of Colombia and Venezuela, culminating in the proclamation of the Republic of Colombia (historiograph ...
. There is also a German
Piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...
that belonged to Manuelita Sáenz, two marble busts representing Simón Bolívar and
Francisco de Paula Santander Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña (April 2, 1792 – May 6, 1840) was a Neogranadine military and political leader who served as Vice-President of Gran Colombia between 1819 and 1826, and was later elected by Congress as the President ...
both made by Pietro Tenerani and a picture of
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or Virgin of Carmel, is a Roman Catholic Titles of Mary, title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated as patron saint, patroness of the Carmelites, Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on M ...
. In front of the stairs is the Salón Amarillo (Yellow Room) where the foreign
ambassadors An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...
present their credentials to the president. The Yellow Room still has its original floor made out of bamboo and was decorated by Luigi Ramelli. In the Salon de los Gobelinos (Gobelinos room) there are several tapestries made in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in the workshop of the Gobelin Brothers. The Council of Ministers Room (El Salón de Consejo de Ministros) is the place where the president meets with his/her ministers and is decorated with the picture ''El Cóndor'' by
Alejandro Obregón Alejandro Jesús Obregón Rosės (4 June 1920 – 11 April 1992) was a Colombian painter, muralist, sculptor and engraver. Biography Obregón was born in Barcelona, Spain. He was the son of a Colombian father and a Catalan mother. The Obreg ...
and the portraits of Camilo Torres, Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Domingo Caycedo and Joaquín Mosquera. There is also a picture called ''La constituyente'' made by Beatriz González. The anteroom of the formal room is decorated with the pictures ''Madre Superiora'' or ''La Monja'' (The nun) by
Fernando Botero Fernando Botero Angulo (19 April 1932 – 15 September 2023) was a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor. His signature style, also known as "Boterismo", depicts people and figures in large, exaggerated volume, which can represent political ...
, the triptych ''Glorificación de Bolívar'' by Andrés de Santa María and ''Angela Cayendo'' by
Alejandro Obregón Alejandro Jesús Obregón Rosės (4 June 1920 – 11 April 1992) was a Colombian painter, muralist, sculptor and engraver. Biography Obregón was born in Barcelona, Spain. He was the son of a Colombian father and a Catalan mother. The Obreg ...
. Inside the Formal Room (Salón Protocolario) some events such as the inauguration of public functionaries or the reception of illustrious people take place; this room is decorated with a
Colombian Flag The national flag of Colombia symbolizes its independence from Spain, won on 20 July 1810. It is a rectangular horizontal tricolor composed of yellow, blue and red in a 2:1:1 ratio. The yellow stripe takes up a half of the flag, while the blue ...
made out of rustic wool, horsehair and cotton. The President's private office is decorated with the portraits of
Simón Bolívar Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
,
Francisco de Paula Santander Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña (April 2, 1792 – May 6, 1840) was a Neogranadine military and political leader who served as Vice-President of Gran Colombia between 1819 and 1826, and was later elected by Congress as the President ...
and
Antonio Nariño Antonio Amador José de Nariño y Álvarez del Casal (April 9, 1765 – December 13, 1823),Hector, M., and A. Ardila. Hombres y mujeres en las letras de Colombia. 2. Bogota: Magisterio, 2008. 25. Print. was a Colombian ideological wiktionary:p ...
. The main dining room of the Casa de Nariño is known as the Salón Azul (Blue room) or Salón Patria (Patriotic Room). It is decorated with enormous landscapes from different regions of Colombia, painted by Antonio Barrera, and vases gifted by the
Government of China The government of the People's Republic of China is based on a system of people's congress within the parameters of a unitary communist state, in which the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enacts its policies through people's congresses. ...
. Behind this room is the Salón Virreinal (Viceregal Room), which is decorated with the portrait of the Spanish viceroy
Sebastián de Eslava Sebastián de Eslava y Lazaga (January 19, 1685 – June 21, 1759) was a Spanish general and colonial official. From April 24, 1740 to November 6, 1749 he was viceroy of the newly reestablished Viceroyalty of New Granada. He was governing th ...
who defended
Cartagena de Indias Cartagena ( ), known since the colonial era as Cartagena de Indias (), is a city and one of the major ports on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Region of Colombia, Caribbean Coast Region, along the Caribbean Sea. Cartagena's past ...
against the English invasion. The vase inside the Salon Virreinal has a small
beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
in its base and is a unique piece made in the
Meissen Meissen ( ), is a town of approximately 30,000 about northwest of Dresden and 75 km (46 mi) west of Bautzen on both banks of the Elbe river in the Free State of Saxony, in eastern Germany. Meissen is the home of Meissen porcelain, th ...
workshop of
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. The chapel located inside this room was built by order of Lorencita Villegas and it was used by
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
during his visit to Colombia in 1986. The Salón Bolivar (Bolívar Room) or Red Room is a space designed for special meetings and celebrations. In this room there is an oil painting of Simón Bolívar known as ''Bolívar Viviente'' by Ricardo Acevedo Bernal. The Emerald Room is decorated in Empire style, the highlights of which are the convex mirrors and the 19th century clock that still works.


Security

The Casa de Nariño is guarded by the
National Army of Colombia The National Army of Colombia () is the land warfare service branch of the Military Forces of Colombia. With over 361,420 active personnel as of 2020, it is the largest and oldest service branch in Colombia, and is the second largest army in the ...
's 37th Infantry Presidential Guard Battalion also known as the Presidential Guard Battalion, created by the decree of the President of Colombia Miguel Abadía Méndez on September 7, 1927. Decree 367 of 1928 gave it its current name. The Battalion was raised by Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Perea Sanclemente on August 16, 1928. A precedent for its foundation is the so-called Guardia de Honor del libertador Simón Bolívar (Spanish for Honor Guard of the Liberator Simón Bolívar), created in 1814 on his orders during the
Spanish American Wars of Independence The Spanish American wars of independence () took place across the Spanish Empire during the early 19th century. The struggles in both hemispheres began shortly after the outbreak of the Peninsular War, forming part of the broader context of the ...
. The battalion is part of the Army's 5th Division (13th Infantry Brigade), and is composed of 1,400 people: 29 officers, 116 NCOs, 1,189 soldiers and 66 civilian personnel, it is subdivided into several companies: Córdova Company (Infantry), Rondon Troop (Cavalry), also known as “Los ponis de la Rondón” (Spanish for the Rondon ponies), Ricaurte Battery (Artillery), Caldas Company (Engineers) (named after
Francisco José de Caldas Francisco José de Caldas (October 4, 1768 – October 28, 1816) was a Neogranadine lawyer, military engineer, self-taught naturalist, mathematician, geographer and inventor (he created the first hypsometer), who was executed by orders of Gene ...
), Wafersson or Fergusson Company and finally the soldiers’ squad of the Military Household wearing historical uniforms. It also has its own
military band A military band is a group of personnel that performs musical duties for military functions, usually for the armed forces. A typical military band consists mostly of wind instrument, wind and percussion instruments. The conducting, conductor of a ...
and
Corps of Drums A corps of drums, sometimes known as a fife and drum corps or simply field music, is a traditional European military music formation. Historically, a Corps of Drums' primary role was communication. Today, the primary role of a Corps of Dru ...
. Its quarters are located in front of the Ministry of Finance's building, on the south side of the palace. Their slogan is “En Defensa del Honor Hasta la Muerte” (“In defense of honor till death”). Memorable actions of this battalion are remembered such as the protection given during the violent acts of the Bogotazo (April 9, 1948) and during the Palace of Justice Siege (November 6, 1985). Resolution 3446 of August 17, 1955, created the medallion “Guardia Presidencial” and Decree 1880 of 1988 ruled the award merits for this prize given to the distinguished members of the battalion for their loyalty, service and good behavior. On select weekdays and weekends the public can see the flag lowering and Guard Mounting ceremony in the afternoon by personnel of the battalion. It is also has occasional public relations deployments to various towns and cities nationwide.


See also

*
Official residence An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either their own or that of th ...


References


External links


Website of the Presidency of Colombia


* {{DEFAULTSORT:Casa de Narino Official residences in Colombia Buildings and structures in Bogotá Palaces in Colombia Presidential residences Government buildings in Colombia Government buildings completed in 1908 1908 establishments in Colombia Presidency of Colombia Architecture of Bogotá Neoclassical palaces in Colombia Residential buildings completed in 1908