The Sans Souci Palace is one of the most emblematic buildings in Buenos Aires and Argentina.
1914
Start of construction
The Palace before its restoration
In 1911, brothers Carlos María, Josefina and Elisa de Alvear, married respectively to Mercedes Elortondo, Matías Errázuriz and Ernesto Bosch, traveled to Paris, France, in search of an architect to design their residences. The three couples chose the fashion architect: René Sergent, considered the best of its time in Neoclassical and Versailles style.
The renowned French architect also built the Bosch Palace in the City of Buenos Aires, which is the current official residence of the United States Ambassador and the Errázuriz Palace, today’s Museum of Decorative Art.
The Palacio Sans Souci, belonging to Carlos María de Alvear and his family, was the last of the 3 projects to be designed.
One hundred years ago, in 1914, the builders Eduardo Lanús and Pablo Hary laid the cornerstone of the Palace, located on the land that Alvear’s wife had inherited in Victoria, Partido de San Fernando.
Neoclassical Style
Pétit Trianon de Versalles
Its four facades are made of stone. The stairs are made of Paris marble, while the rest of the details and finishes, although they appear to be genuine, are imitations. The marble simile was created by Swiss artisans from the Italian canton, specialists in this technique.
All the carpentry of the Sans Souci Palace was made of Slavonian oak. The doors were painted imitating the veins of the wood, so that they had identical marks.
The gardens of Carlos Thays
The gardens, which originally covered 9 hectares, were designed by the French landscaper Carlos Thays. During the construction of the Palace, Alvear tried to buy the neighboring property from the Lanusse family, with the intention of demolishing it and continuing their garden.
The Lanusse never agreed and a huge wall was built between the two properties. Thays not only designed the garden, but also placed a group of trees to cover the great wall so that the house did not seem to end there.The Palace has an Art nouveau Winter Garden with large windows made of bevelled glass, which has a spectacular view of the main garden.
On the opposite side, there is a large gallery with a beautiful view of the East Garden and direct access to the halls.
The Family
The Sans Souci Palace was bought more than 50 years ago by the Durini Family, when the Palace was in frank deterioration.
During the 1960s and 1970s restoration works were carried out by the architect María Josefina Barra de Durini. Once completed, this architectural gem regained its past glory.
Today, the Sans Souci Palace (belonging to SANS SOUCI S.A.), is dedicated exclusively to commercial activity and is a historical monument of the San Fernando municipality and Argentina.
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