Casa Dorada

About this place

Casa Dorada, the Golden House, is a grand mansion in the centre of Tarija in southern Bolivia. Its decorated stone front in grey and gold makes it the best-known building in the city. It is now the House of Culture with a museum, in a city founded in 1574 with a mild climate compared with the cold of the Altiplano. The wealthy merchant Moisés Navajas Ichazo built it with his wife Esperanza Morales Serrano. Sources differ on its dates, with some putting the start at 1887 or 1878 and completion at 1903, and one guide giving a later date. Lonely Planet says the university now owns it, and it is used for cultural events. You face a curved corner of two storeys, with bands of striped stone, columns and balconies, and small statues on the roof. Its large doors carry raised gold decoration. Inside are rooms with the family's original furniture, a grand piano and stained glass windows. The upper floor holds a museum of old household pieces. The decoration is said to blend Art Nouveau and Mudéjar elements, which we could not confirm. The house is 0.2 km in a straight line from the main plaza, an easy walk. Sources say it opens on weekdays and Saturdays with a midday break, and that times can change, so book a tour ahead. Allow about an hour. Wires and cars crowd the front, so early morning is best for photographs. British advice mentions a state of emergency, so check your government's advice.