Asuncion: Architectural mosaic

Marta Escurra

They call Asuncion “the mother of cities”, because it was from Paraguay’s capital that the Spanish conquistadors set out when they founded Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Corrientes and Buenos Aires.

Remains from those days, and also from the neoclassical period, stand out among the modern buildings, forming an architectural mosaic that typifies the city. The House of Independence is the oldest colonial building in Asuncion. Paraguay’s national heroes set out from there to deliver an ultimatum to Spanish governor Bernardo de Velazco, in one of the most peaceful independence exploits in history.

The house is today a small museum, but it goes almost unnoticed as it stands between a parking lot and two modern buildings. According to Paraguayan historian Luis Veron, this perhaps explains why Lopez Palace is far more prominent. This palace is the current seat of the Paraguayan government, and was built in the midnineteenth century by a Hungarian called Franz Wisner and architect Alonso Tailor. “Its style is neo-classical in its conception and decoration”, says architect Maria Gloria Gonzalez, who teaches in the Architecture Faculty at Asuncion National University.

The white building was the symbol that greeted people on boat trips around the bay. It is currently undergoing restoration, and its new, pink color can be seen. These two buildings are part of a series of more than 10 that are intermingled with modern constructions. Taking a guided tour of them is a delightful experience for tourists.

The second building of symbolic importance is the National Pantheon of Heroes, where the remains of Paraguay’s leading figures are laid to rest. It also contains an oratory dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, the city’s patron saint.

It is a place that Paraguayans flock to when they have something to celebrate, such as victories by their sports teams or political parties. Although building work began in the late 19th century, it was not opened until 1936. According to Veron, it was inspired by the cupola on Les Invalides Hospice in Paris. Perhaps it was because of this European air that the owners of one of the most emblematic restaurants in the micro-center of Asuncion called their establishment El Lido. It serves traditional Paraguayan dishes like Paraguayan soup (solid) and chipa guasu. Other specialties include meat pasties and croquettes. After this gastronomic pause, the tour continues with the Treasury Ministry building, the Municipal Theatre, the Metropolitan Cathedral, City Hall, the National Congress, and La Ribera, all of them colonial buildings in the neoclassical style.

A strong European influence can still be seen in the mansions and palaces that appear from time to time in the urban landscape, and these lend as much prominence to the past as the modern buildings do to Paraguay’s recent economic growth.

‘Eclectic’ is the adjective that defines architectural style in Asuncion. The capital has a complex appearance, because the absence of any strict planning means that building work has been somewhat erratic and disorderly. However, this very complexity is what makes it so particular.

There seem to be two cities in one. This is the view of Victor Gonzalez Acosta, one of the architects responsible for the recent growth in construction in Asuncion. This mentor of the Asuncion World Trade Center says that “the city is just one, but it manifests itself in different ways in different areas, each of which has its value and significance in the construction of the urban whole”. The town planner goes on to say that the historic center is so important because “it is there that memory and history can be found, not just of Asuncion but of all Paraguay. On the other hand, the importance of the Villa Morra and Aviadores del Chaco zone lies in the fact that it is the city’s new commercial, financial and services district, and because it is where Paraguay can be seen to be part of the globalization process, an open country that welcomes the world’s principal multinational corporations”, concludes.

While all this goes on, both the microcenter and the financial district grow, each in its own way. This can be seen from Asuncion’s new riverside walk: the historical and visually proud mosaic.

Orchestra of Recycled Instruments
In the Cateura district, where Asuncion’s trash is dumped, a group of youngsters convert recyclable materials into musical instruments. They play everything from Beethoven symphonies to Paraguayan cumbias.

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