Chile (Central Region - Santiago de Chile)

Palacio Cousiño

Near to Toesca metro stop, the Palacio Cousiño (Tues-Fri 9.30am-1.30pm & 2.30-5pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am-1.30pm; CH$800) at Dieciocho 438 is a magnificent turn-of-the-century palace that dazzled Santiago’s high society with its luxury and opulence when it was built in 1870.
The first floor was burnt to ashes in 1968, but the ground floor remains totally intact, and provides a wonderful close-up view of turn-of-the-century European craftsmanship at its best: Italian hand-painted tiles; Bohemian crystal chandeliers; mahogany, walnut and ebony parquet floors; a mosaic marble staircase; and French brocade and silk furnishings are just a few of the splendours of the palacio. Visits are by guided tour, in Spanish or English, and last about forty minutes.