-This 16th.
century building was all that was left standing after the
1834 earthquake. (1 foto)
Built at the
beginning of the 16th. century by a wealthy Santa Marta
merchant family, this historic building is the cities only
remaining structure to survive the devastating 1834
earthquake. Over the years, the building built of brick and
stone has escaped both fires and floods which ravaged the
city. As the building changed hands, so did the name: Green
Palace, Palace of The Governors, and The Wake, as the
building was used for the wake of General Simon
Bolivar. Custom's House was abandoned for much of the last
century, but in 1974, wisely, it was restored and declared a
Colombia National Monument.
Currently the
CUSTOMS HOUSE serves as Banco de la Republica's GOLD
MUSEUM. The Museum has a large and varied collection of
pre-Colombian pottery and gold metalwork made by the
indigenous Tayrona culture, who's ancestors remain in their
native lands, high up in the nearby Sierra Nevada
Mountains. Entrance to the Museum is free.
