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<p>Walking is the best way to discover historical buildings and museums in the Asuncion city centre. So, print a <a href="/go?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abc.com.py%2Fparaguay%2Fimages%2Fmicro1.jpg&tracking=external" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">map </a>and grab a big bottle of mineral water and start!</p><p>Itinerary:</p><p>The <strong>Government Palace </strong>(Mcal
Lopez between Ayolas and O'leary) Neoclassical building by Alonso
Taylor. Construction work began on the 1860s, but it was only
finished after the Triple Alliance War. For best views, go to
opposite Cafe Viola in the Manzana de la Rivera. </p><p>Also, go along to the Paraguay River shore, appreciate the back of the building and explore the <a href="/go?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reportajealpais.com.py%2Fhumaita.htm&tracking=external" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Humaita Battleship </strong></a>converted into <strong>Naval Museum </strong>(free
entrance). Built in Genova, Italy (1930) the battleship anti
aerial weapons kept the Bolivian air force on check during the Chaco
War 1932-35. Opening times: Monday-Fridays 8-11.30AM and
2-6PM. Also Saturdays and Sundays from 8 til 6PM. </p><p><strong><a href="/go?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mca.gov.py%2Fmrivera.html&tracking=external" title="Manzana de la Rivera" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Manzana de la Rivera</strong></a></strong>:
(129 Ayolas between Benjamin Constant and Mariscal Lopez) Historic
quarter with several houses (9) dating back from sXIX and
early sXX. Casa Viola for instance, from 1750-1758 in the Spanish
colonial style. Nowadays, it host the <strong>City's Memory Museum</strong>,
with texts, maps, objects, paints and day to day objects which shows
the urban lifestyle. Opening times: Monday-Fridays 8AM til
9PM. Saturdays and Sundays 10AM til 7PM. Casa Clari, later
development bosts an Art Nouveau style and offers an Art Gallery and a
cafe with superb views of opposite Government Palace (night
lights). Casa Castelvi (from 1804) colonial style with original
features such as doors, windows and floor. This house serves as
an events' space and offers recreational activities for children.
Casa Ballario contains an image resource centre with videos and
photographs.</p><p><strong><a href="/go?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casadelaindependencia.org.py%2F&tracking=external" title="Independence House" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Independence House</strong></a></strong>:
(14 de Mayo and Presidente Franco) A 1772 building hosting a
museum conmmemorating the Paraguayan Independence. Interesting
paints, furniture and objects. It belonged to the Martinez Saenz
family, and it was here where Paraguayan patriots plotted the National
independence.</p><p><strong><a href="/asuncion-reviews-a3917193.html" title="Asuncion, Paraguay" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Panteon de los Heroes</strong></a></strong>:
(Palma and Chile) Also Oratory of Our Lady of Asuncion.
Burial site for Paraguayan patriots. It resembles the Invalides
in Paris. Free entrance.</p><p><strong>Museo del Cabildo</strong>:
Former Town House (Avda. República between Chile and
Alberdi). Pascual Urdapilleta (1842) mixed a neoclassical style
on the fachade with colonial style for the corridor and sides of the
building. You can also visit the new <strong>Parlament building </strong>just next to the Cabildo. Opening times: Monday-Fridays 7AM til 7PM. Saturdays and Sundays 10AM til 5PM.</p><p><strong>Cathedral</strong>:
(Independencia Nacional and Mariscal López) From
1650s, it features a central navel and two side ones. The
altar is covered in silver, and it is consagrated to Our Lady of
Asuncion. </p><p>Visit also the <strong>Museo Juan Sinforiano Bogarín </strong>(Comuneros
and Yegros) Former prision from the Dr. Rodriguez de Francia period
(Yo, el Supremo). Jessuitic and Franciscan art on display.
Entrance fee USD 0.40. Opening times: Monday-Saturdays from 8AM
til 11AM.</p><p><strong>Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes</strong>: (Mcal.
Estigarribia and Iturbe) Paraguayan art collection and temporal
exhibitions of international artists. Opening times:
Monday-Fridays 7AM til 7PM, and Saturdays 7 til 12AM.</p><p><strong><a href="/go?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.museobarbero.org.py%2Fpagina_nueva_2i.htm&tracking=external" title="Paraguay, museum, Asuncion" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><strong>Museo Etnografico Andres Barbero</strong></a></strong>:
(217 Av. Espana and Mompox) The Guaranis once florished all
along Paraguay, Brazil, and northern Argentina. This museum,
opened in 1929, hosts a colection of objects, ceramics, weapons,
musical instruments and Multimedia about the life and remains of the
Guarani nation. Opening times: Monday-Friday from 8AM to 5,30PM.</p><p><strong>Estación Central de Ferrocarril:</strong> Tourist information centre (Eligio Ayala and México) Mixed of European and local style. In the opposite <strong>plaza Uruguaya</strong>,
you can wonder around traditional Paraguayan lapachos/Tajy and enjoy an
explosion of colours in spring and summer time. These trees
traditionally have either pink, yellow or white flowers. However,
it's unlikely that you will find them with different colours one next
to the other (trees' reproduction issues). Go to plaza Uruguaya
also if you would like to try the <em>terere </em>a traditional
Paraguayan beverage to keep the warm weather on check. It is like
cold green tea drinked from a glass with a straw/filter called
bombilla. In Plaza Uruguaya you will find lots of stalls
"renting" terere. Ask for a mix of herbs for flavour. It
can be mint ~(menta), cedron, etc.</p><p><strong>Iglesia de la Encarnacion</strong>:
(Haedo and 14 de Mayo) One of the nicest church in
Asuncion. The original church was rebuild after a fire in 1889 by
Giovanni Colombo an Italian immigrant who offered his services free of
charge under conditions that he was to chose the best materials.
It offers a superbs views and a Romanic - Corinthian style as it
is located on top of a hill. Three navels and a cupola with
paints reflecting the Passion of Christ. Visits from 8-11AM and
4-6PM. It is often used as a venue for concerts.</p><p><strong>The Port and La Recova</strong>: (Colon
between Benjamin Constant and Presidente Franco) Good place
for shopping traditional handicrafts and textiles such as ao'poi,
nanduti, hammocs, etc. </p><p>Beware that the zone is mainly
commercial with shops and office buildings so it's empty on Sundays or
weekdays after 7PM. If you are looking for night life, the best
pubs and nightclubs are located in downtown Villa Morra. Try
Coyote or El Santo (both nightclubs) or Galleria Colonial (Av. Espana
and San Rafael) for pubs.</p><p>For dinning, check <a href="/go?l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fodors.com%2Fminiguides%2Fmgresults.cfm%3Fdestination%3Dasuncion%40180%26amp%3Bcur_section%3Ddin%26amp%3Bsort%3Dname%26amp%3Bpg%3D1&tracking=external" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=asuncion@180&cur_section=din&sort=name&pg=1</a>
Generally, all of them are just outside the city centre. I'd say
the best food is at Mburicao. For a wine bar, check Las Canitas
in Carmen Soler 4105 (021) 605936.</p>
2007-02-09T04:10:04-08:00
1096810497
2005-06-11T17:00:00-07:00
0
-9223372036854775790
132202
3629082
364792
0
0.116181347416363
2005-06-04T17:00:00-07:00
Published
100.0
Walking around Asuncion Historical centre
2007-03-20T05:18:33-07:00
94230
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