{{Short description|Historical building in Peru}} {{Infobox building | name = Casa O'Higgins | image = Casa O'Higgins.jpg | architectural_style = [[Spanish Colonial]] | address = [[Jirón de la Unión]] 554 | owner = [[Riva-Agüero Institute]] | floor_count = 2 | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }} The '''Casa O'Higgins''' is a [[Spanish Colonial|colonial-style building]] located in the [[historic centre of Lima]], specifically located in the [[Jirón de la Unión]], a few metres from the [[Plaza Mayor, Lima|Plaza de Armas]] of the [[Lima|Peruvian capital]]. Since 2008, the house has functioned as a [[cultural centre]] of the [[Pontifical Catholic University of Peru]] and a permanent space dedicated to the memory of [[Bernardo O'Higgins]]. It forms part of the [[Cultural heritage of Peru]].
==History== The house bears its name because it was the mansion where the Chilean soldier and politician, [[Bernardo O'Higgins]], spent part of his youth, who is considered a [[Father of the Nation]] of Chile and one of the ''[[Libertadores]]'' of Latin America. After his abdication as [[President of Chile|Supreme Director of Chile]] in 1823, it was also his home of exile in the newly independent [[Republic of Peru]] until his death in 1842. Bernardo O'Higgins was the son of [[Ambrosio O'Higgins]], [[viceroy of Peru]] between 1796 and 1801.
Later, the second floor of the house briefly housed the [[Club Nacional (Peru)|National Club]] between 1892 and 1895, being owned by {{ill|Ignacio de Osma|es|lt=Ignacio de Osma y Ramírez de Arellano}} through the Ramírez de Arellano y Baquíjano Testamentary. Starting in 1897, the house functioned as the first location of the [[Interbank|International Bank of Peru]], and was later occupied by the renowned ''Astoria'' restaurant during the 1920s.
After remaining for years in a state of natural deterioration over time, the house is currently preserved as a restored house museum and has been open to the public since 2008. For this, it was financed by the [[Chilean Army]] at the beginning, and later received contributions from the [[Chilean government]] through cultural funds from the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Chile)|Foreign Ministry]] through an agreement with the [[Pontifical Catholic University of Peru]] (PUCP).<ref>{{Cite news |title=Chile aprueba fondos para casa de O'Higgins en Lima |url=https://www.latercera.com/diario-impreso/chile-aprueba-fondos-para-casa-de-ohiggins-en-lima/ |date=2011-05-14 |work=[[La Tercera]]}}</ref> Within its premises, it has a room adapted for exhibitions of historical-cultural interest.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Restauración de la Casa O'Higgins en Lima – Perú |last=Torrealba Dávila |first=Daniel |publisher=Todopatrimonio.com |year=2008 |pages=1–7 |language=es |url=http://www.todopatrimonio.com/pdf/cicop2010/145_Actas_Cicop2010.pdf |last2=Zapata Rojas |first2=Iván |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409195644/http://www.todopatrimonio.com/pdf/cicop2010/145_Actas_Cicop2010.pdf |archive-date=2016-04-09}}</ref> It is administered by the PUCP's [[Riva-Agüero Institute]].
==See also== *[[Riva-Agüero Institute]] *[[Chile–Peru relations]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Lima landmarks}}
{{coord|-12.04758|-77.03256|format=dms|type:landmark_region:PE|display=title}}
[[Category:Museums in Lima]] [[Category:Pontifical Catholic University of Peru]] [[Category:Chile–Peru relations]] [[Category:Cultural heritage of Peru]] [[Category:Houses in Peru]] [[Category:Historic Centre of Lima]] [[Category:Museums established in 2008]]