Independence House

The House of Independence is the oldest building in Asuncion, where the independence of Paraguay from Spain was proclaimed on the night of May 14, 1811. The mansion, built in the colonial style at the end of the XVIII century, is not only a symbol of freedom, but also represents an invaluable cultural heritage.

This house was built in 1772 by the Spaniard Antonio Martinez Saenz and his wife, Paraguayan Petrona Caballero. The building had a traditional look of the time: whitewashed walls of unburned brick and a tiled roof. The house and the plot of land were inherited by the children of Martinez and turned into a secret meeting place of revolutionaries who organized the fall of the Spanish government.

The house was renovated and opened as a museum on 14 May 1965 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Paraguay’s independence. It presents exhibits of the colonial period of Paraguay: historical documents, weapons, furniture, wooden and bronze accessories, paintings depicting key moments of the struggle for independence, clothing, religious objects and photographs.

The museum is open for visitors from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 18.00, on Saturday - from 8.00 to 13.00. Non-working days: 1 January, 1 May, Easter, 24, 25, 31 December.