Which palace in Santiago is the seat of Chile's president?

La Moneda Palace is the palace in Santiago that serves as the seat of Chile’s president. Known in Spanish as Palacio de La Moneda, it stands in central Santiago’s Civic District and also houses several cabinet offices.

The building was designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca as a royal mint. Construction began in 1784, and the neoclassical complex opened in 1805. Chile continued producing coins there until 1929, which explains the name La Moneda, meaning “the Mint.”

In 1845, during President Manuel Bulnes’s administration, the palace became the seat of government and a presidential residence. It stopped being used as the president’s personal home after the presidency of Gabriel González Videla, but it remains the country’s main executive headquarters.

La Moneda is also central to Chilean history. On 11 September 1973, the palace was attacked during the military coup, and President Salvador Allende died there. Restoration followed, while parts of the building’s historic damage were preserved. Palacio de Cerro Castillo is a separate presidential retreat, not the Santiago seat of government.