The Rioja Palace is an architectural gem and viña del Mar.

In 1907 the land was a farm owned by Jose Francis a Vergara, bought Fernando Medel Neil Rioja. He decided to move his residence from the city of Valparaiso, which has suffered due to the earthquake of 1906. Fernando Medel Rioja instructed by renowned Portuguese architect, who lived in France, Alfredo Azancot Levi to begin construction of the mansion in the neoclassical style in the center of viña del Mar.

During construction of the building, with an area of 3700 square meters, the company used the latest technology of the time: we used the iron and cement, electricity for lighting and steam for heating, curtains, and tapestries for warmth, water supply and Sewerage. The building is surrounded by 40 acres of landscaped Park, where exotic plant nursery, gardens, private theater, stables, tennis courts, swimming pools, etc.

The luxurious interior of the Palace is decorated with Antiques in the Empire style, Baroque, Rococo, brought from Spain and France.

In 1920, this building three months I lived Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria, who was invited by the then President Arturo Alessandri Palma on the anniversary of the opening of the Straits of Magellan. This visit was an important recognition of the sovereignty of Chile.

In 1956, the Palace became the property of the municipality of viña del Mar. For several years it housed the mayor's office. Since 1979, the building housed the Museum of decorative arts from the collection of the late XIX - early XX century. Since 1985 the Rioja Palace is a national monument of Chile.

The Palace has its own ghosts. According to the legend, don Fernando Rioja was married off his daughter, but after the wedding it was returned back to the fold, as it was simple sweetheart Kucera, who was killed in the Palace walls. Since then, his Ghost is looking for his beloved. The spirit of don Fernando Rioja, dressed in old clothes, too, roams the castle after his death. Many see and hear a beautiful piano melody, although the instrument is nobody touches.