Description of the attraction
Don Gustavo Adolfo Wolf Movle, a renowned businessman and philanthropist from Valparaiso, in 1881 decided to start building a residence on the seaside in Viña del Mar. For this, Wolfe had to obtain a special permit for the construction of the building. His request was granted in 1904, giving permission to build in a specific place: on a rock located between the estuary of the Estero-Marga-Marga and Caleta-Abarka rivers. His dream came true in 1906. When the work was completed, a castle stood on the edge of the cliff. This two-story building in German and French style was designed after the old mansions of Liechtenstein. The foundations were made of stone, and the three towers with two large terraces were built of wood.
At the end of 1910, Wolfe commissioned the architect Alberto Cruz Mont to carry out the reconstruction of the building, and the palace was faced with stone. In 1919, the owner decided to install a tower that was supposed to rise directly above the cliff. In 1920, Wolfe carried out the last renovation of the building. He enlarged the window openings and also attached a circular tower to the main building via a bridge with a transparent floor made of thick glass. This allowed us to observe the splendor of the surf: how the waves crash against the rocks right under our feet.
The owner of the castle died in 1946 and bequeathed this building to Mrs. Hope Arthas. Wolfe gave her permission to renovate the building into a hotel at his own expense, and then sell it to the municipality of Viña del Mar. As a result, two of the three towers were removed, allowing the main entrance to the castle to be widened, and an English-style stone structure was added.
Wolf Palace resembles a medieval castle in its appearance, especially with arched windows facing west, and a round tower with a crenellated roof topped with a spire. The predominant building material is stone. The main façade, with its English style, breaks and softens the imposing medieval image of the castle.
Wolf Palace became the property of the municipality of Viña del Mar in 1959. In 1995, Wolf Palace was declared a National Historic Landmark. Within the walls of the castle there is an exhibition center and a museum on the ground floor - a gallery with works of contemporary artists and sculptors.
