Moneda Palace...cue history lesson....

Originally the Mint, it became the seat of Government in the end of 18th Century.

However La Moneda is most famous because of the events of 11th September 1973. On this date the Junta of all the armed forces & the police, lead by General Pinochet, took over the country.

The President in power at the time was Salvador Allende, the first & only Marxist president to be elected anywhere in the world. He was not at all popular with the wealthy, landowning classes.

So the Junta, backed by the US (of course!!) decided to take matters into their own hands.

Allende refused to give up power as he had been democratically elected. He gave an infamous speech trusting the people to fight for democracy. He then killed himself just before the bombs started falling. The Moneda fell & was destroyed by 2 pm. By 5 pm teachers, writers, academics were all in prisons & the period of the Disappeared had begun.