Palacio de Miraflores, Caracas (must see)

The Palacio de Miraflores (Spanish for "Miraflores Palace") is the official workplace of the President of Venezuela. It is located on Urdaneta Avenue, Libertador Municipality in Caracas. It was started on 27 April 1884 under the direction of Giuseppe Orsi and was intended as the family residence of Joaquin Crespo. In 1911, the national administration acquired the property from General Félix Galavis at a cost of five hundred thousand bolívares, and Miraflores Palace became the official presidential residence and office.

After many modifications, the current palace presents fountains encompassed by corridors and halls, such as the Peruvian Sun Hall; the Joaquín Crespo Hall; Vargas Swamp; the Ambassador Hall and Ayacucho Hall. Originallly, Miraflores Palace served as presidential residence to Cipriano Castro, and then Juan Vicente Gómez, who occupied it until 1913. From 1914 to 1922, it functioned as office to the provisional administration of Victorino Márquez Bustillos. In 1923, Miraflores witnessed the murder of Vice-president Juan Crisóstomo Gómez, brother of President Juan Vicente Gómez. From 1931 to 1935, the palace was inhabited, guarded by the army. During the governments of Eleazar López Contreras and Isaías Medina Angarita, the presidential office is modified. In 1945, Rómulo Betancourt became the first president who identifies the seat of government as Miraflores Palace, replacing the name of Federal Palace.