National Palace of Culture, Managua

The National Palace of Culture (Spanish: Palacio de la Cultura) is one of the oldest buildings in Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. It is home to the country's national museum and art gallery, hosting works of artists Arnold Belkin, Armando Morales and Leoncio Saénz. The Nicaraguan Institute of Culture is housed within the same building.

History
It was commissioned by President Juan Bautista Sacasa in 1935 and built by architect Pablo Dambach, who also built the St. James Cathedral. For more than 50 years, the National Palace housed the National Congress of Nicaragua. Today, it houses the National Archive, the National Library, as well as the National Museum which is open to the public. The museum features pre-Columbian paintings, statues, ceramics, etc. Also part of the exhibit is the Hall of National History and the Hall of National Symbols. The National Palace was one of the few buildings that survived the 1972 earthquake.

Events

 * On 5 December 1950, the wedding procession of Anastasio Somoza Debayle and his cousin Hope Portocarrero left the palace lobby for the Old Cathedral of Managua to get married.