Plaza de la administracion (Administration Square). A much visited place because of the unorthodox and eclectic neoclassical architecture of the buildings.
La Plaza de la Administración captado desde nuestro drone.
Words: Patricio Añazco / Photos: Jairo Cabrera.
The Plaza de la Administacion is a much visited place due to the unorthodox and eclectic neoclassical architectural value of the buildings. In the first thirty years of the 1900s, the city grew from around 70,000 inhabitants to almost 120,000, which determined a stage of densification of the present area. This led to a second growth of the physical demarcations towards the west, continuing the orthogonal layout.
History of Plaza de la Administracion.
These years were marked by several factors that influenced Guayaquil’s architecture, marking an architectural period influenced by the so-called Italian “novecento“. It was the result of the modernity that arrived in the city from abroad at the beginning of the 20th century. The massive use of cement predominates, accompanied by European ideas that mark the end of what was once known as “traditional architecture”. In the cultural field, there is a strong influence of Italian identity due to the influx and hiring of musicians, painters, teachers and architects from this country of origin.
Neoclassical architecture is unorthodox and eclectic. The construction is made of reinforced concrete that little by little begins to substitute the wood that had been used since colonial times in the construction of the buildings and can be contemplated in its architectural details that integrate part of what these buildings are. An important visit is to the Nahím Isaías Museum, which preserves sacred art of the period, where you can see important works by renowned artists. You can discover this place and others in the following self-guided tour that goes through the centre of the city of Guayaquil.
