Palacio de San Carlos 2.03

The San Carlos Palace, is a 16th-century Neoclassical mansion in Bogotá, Colombia. Located on the corner of Calle 10 and Carrera 5, the historic building has been the site of various political, social and academic events. Since December 1993, it has been home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.HistoryThe Palace of San Carlos The history of the building goes back to the end of the 16th century when it was built by Archdeacon Francisco Porras Mejia, in 1585. At the time Santa Fe de Bogotá was the capital of New Kingdom of Granada, part of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It was occupied by the archdeacon's family until 1605 when it was sold to Archbishop Bartolomé Lobo Guerrero who used it as a Jesuit seminary known as the Colegio Seminario de San Bartolomé. In 1739, the first printing press of Sante Fe was also established here. In 1767, after the Jesuits were expelled from New Granada by Francisco Antonio Moreno y Escandón, acting on orders from King Carlos III, it became the Royal Library of Santa Fe and served as barracks for the Presidential Guard. From 1827 to 1908 the palace was the official residence of the President of Colombia. Then President Rafael Reyes Prieto moved out to the Palace of Nariño where he lived till 1954. From 1954 it again became the residence of General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla and his successors till 1980. In 1980 after the Palace of Nariño was inaugurated as the presidential residence, the Palace of San Carlos was converted to house the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which it still accommodates today.