Marta Pilar
Beautiful building
This beautiful building belongs to the Italian Italian Society of Mutual Cultural and Recreational Dante Alighieri in Victoria. Founded in May 1863 it is now in a state that leaves much to be desired. Being Sunday it was closed and I could only see the outside which is Renaissance with a richly ornamented facade, the house is accessed through an atrium. A highlight is the peristyle supported by 2 Tuscan columns ending in a Corinthian capital of acanthus leaves. On top a triangular frontispiece gives rise to 3 marble statues of Italian origin: In the center "Charity", on the left "Justice" and on the right "Law".
You can still read on an iron arch at the entrance gate the word "Charity". It had been built not only for people to meet, but to give advice and asylum "as good and charitable brethren". Although I couldn't see much, on either side of the front door there were marble busts of King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia and Italy and the hero of Italian national unity Giuseppe Garibaldi - these were brought from Italy. It is believed that the first book that recorded the first members is from 1865. In 1995 the building was declared an Urban Heritage Monument by an ordinance and a municipal decree and it has been included in tours from then on. It's a couple of blocks from the Parish Church "Our Lady of Aranzazu" and the Palacio Municipal, both located in front of Plaza San Martin. In 2007 it was declared a National Historic Landmark.
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