Casa de la Independencia Museum
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The Casa de la Independencia Museum, located in Asunción, Paraguay was inaugurated on May 14th, 1965 and showcases pieces of history that date back to the independence of the country. In 1811, precisely in the night of the 14th, a group of brave Paraguayans came out of this house to declare the independence of Paraguay. Located on the corner of the streets Presidente Franco and 14 de Mayo, it is stood out by its marked colonial style, besides its significant transcendence. It is a national monument which has a great historical significance. Between its walls, the emancipation from the Spanish domain was planned in a silent and brave manner.
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[edit] History
The house where the Museum is located nowadays was built in 1772 by the Spanish settler Antonio Martínez Sáenz, married to the Paraguayan Petrona Caballero de Bazán. The walls were constructed with adobe; with thatched roof and its framework was made of bamboo and palm wood. The married couple Martínez Sáenz-Caballero de Bazán had two children Pedro Pablo and Sebastián Antonio. Both brothers inherited the house, used it as a joint ownership with their wives Carmen Speratti and Nicolasa Marín, respectively. Besides the two married couples, two young ladies, Facunda Speratti and Virginia Marín, sisters of Carmen and Nicolasa, respectively, lived in the house. The threads of the native history started to interweave around this family.
[edit] Name Origin
In the family seat, joint ownership of the brothers Martínez Sáenz, it used to lodge Captain Pedro Juan Caballero, when coming from his hometown visited the capital. In front of the Martínez’s house, it was the residence of Juana Martínez de Lara, aunt of the patriot Vicente Ignacio Iturbe, who used to lodge in his aunt’s house. Captain Juan Bautista Rivarola, residing in Barrero Grande, on travelling to the town, lodged in his mother’s in law house which was next to the old Alley. The patriot Fulgencio Yegros and lieutenant Mariano Recalde also went frequently to the Martinez’s house. They were courting Facunda Speratti and Virginia Marín, respectively. Due to the circumstances, the residence of the Martínez became into the perfect place to conceal the secret meetings where the conspiracy against the Spanish domain were carrying out. In the night of the 14th of May, a group of men, led by Pedro Juan Caballero, took the alley next to the house and went to the Governor’s house, few blocks distant.
[edit] Rooms
Office room
Important documents from this period, signed by various patriots of the Paraguayan independence are kept in this room. It is also exhibited a bureau which belonged to Fernando de la Mora and five pictures, among which it is highlighted one representing a key moment in the independence, the intimidation to Governor Velazco, painted by Jaime Bestard.
Dinning room
Furniture and objects in common use recreate a domestic inside of the colonial period. A sword which belonged to Fulgencio Yegros is exhibited in one of the windows, as well as it is highlighted a portrait of Doctor Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia.
Living room
A suite of French furnitute from 1830 is exhibited around a crystal chandelier and a brazier made of wood and bronze.Two full-length portraits of Pedro Juan Caballero and Fulgencio Yegros can also be seen. Religious carvings made in Jesuits and Franciscan workshops complete the room.
Bedroom
A bed which belonged to Fernando de la Mora stood out the room and his portrait can be seen on the right walls. Below the picture, there is an embroidered shirt worn by him. A large chest used by Juan Bautista Rivarola, a peculiar toilet, a magnificent prie-dieu and a polychrome niche complete the atmosphere of the room.
Oratory
Jesuits and Franciscan carvings and diverse religious objects of different origin are exhibited in this room. A portrait of the presbyter Francisco Javier Bogarín can also be seen.
Corridor
Two large boards carved in wood from door churches in the missions are stood out in the adjacent corridor. Below them, there are the remains of the disappeared eaves of the house, which give us an idea about the measurements and characteristics of the materials used in constructions during the colonial period.
Yard
A mural painted by José Laterza Parodi is highlighted in this place. There can be read diverse paragraphs of the note of the 20th of July 1811, addressed to the Junta in Buenos Aires, in which was ratified the independence of Paraguay. Below the note, it is reproduced the first coat of arms of the nation adopted during the government of Doctor Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia. At the foot of it there is the sundial of the Jesuit mission of Santa Rosa. A tumulus covering the mortal remains of the illustrious patriot Juan Bautista Rivarola and brought from the Barrero Grande cemetery, nowadays Eusebio Ayala can be seen in one of the yard corners.
Capitulary Saloon
Crossing the yard, there is a place where is a replica of the Capitulary Saloon of the old Cabildo de Asunción, the first in the Río de la Plata, established on September 16, 1541. In the center of the room, there is the coat of arms of Spain from 1800. On the walls hang a magnificent portrait of the Emperor Charles V; besides, other pictures show several revolutionary intents, previous to the independence.
[edit] Historical Alley
A charming place from the ancient Asunción: the Historical Alley is entered through the door of the Capitulary Saloon. This place represents one of the most significant places of the house, as brave Paraguayan patriots came out through it to conquest the independence of the country. It was also through this way that Juana Maria de Lara went to the Cathedral of Asunción to request Padre Molas for the expected signal: the ringing of the bronze bells, to whose call the Paraguayan came in the morning of May 15th to celebrate the historical moment in which the new Republic of Paraguay raises.
[edit] Other Significant Information
As a testimony that in this house it was planned the emancipation of the country, during the government of Carlos Antonio Lopez and by a Decree issued in April of 1849, in which the streets in Asunción were named for the first time, it was established to call 14 de Mayo (May 14th) to the street in front of the Historical Alley. A mural made by the ceramist José Laterza Parodi, can be seen al the entrance of the museum. It represents a panoramic view of the significant buildings and places of the colonial Asunción. In 2003, 38 years after the opening of the Historical Museum, the house was visited by Bachelor Nicolás Darío Latourrete Bo, who after seeing the bad conditions of the place helped in restoring the dignity of the museum. On February 2003, the restoring works and conservation of the valuable relics began. The same year, the Ministry of Culture and Education assigned Mr. Latourrete Bo protector of the Independence House. In 2005, he is declared Life Protector of the museum, an unprecedented fact in the Paraguayan history.
[edit] Opening Times
The Museum “Casa de la Independencia” can be visited: from Monday to Friday from 07:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 to 12:00 a.m.
[edit] References
Oliveira y Silva de Acuña,Yani. Casa de la Independencia. Asunción. Paraguay
