| Rospigliosi Castle | |
|---|---|
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 Interactive map of the Rospigliosi Castle area | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| Location | Jr. Manuel del Pino 488, Santa Beatriz, Lima[1] |
| Coordinates | 12°04′42″S77°01′59″W / 12.07843°S 77.03303°W /-12.07843; -77.03303 |
| Year built | 1929 |
| Inaugurated | December 15, 1959 (museum) |
Rospigliosi Castle (Spanish:Castillo Rospigliosi) is acastle andmuseum in the neighbourhood ofSanta Beatriz inLima District,Lima,Peru. Since 1959, part of the castle is occupied by theAeronautical Museum of Peru (Spanish:Museo Aeronáutico del Perú),[2] previously housed atLas Palmas Air Base.[3]
The castle was built in 1929, under the government ofAugusto B. Leguía, its construction promoted by Dr.Carlos Rospigliosi Vigil [es] (a descendant of the ItalianRospigliosi family).[1] Anurban legend claims that the castle was built by Rospigliosi in order to host KingAlfonso XIII during his visit to Peru, with him even requesting thelocal authorities that he be allowed to build amoat surrounding it to justify thedrawbridge that was initially part of the castle's design, which was denied. The legend concludes that as the castle's construction was coming to an end, the political revolution that caused the establishment of arepublic in Spain put an end to the King's planned visit, and the doctor was forced to use the castle as his residence.[4] Peruvian historian Juan Luis Orrego Penagos claims that, while Rospigliosi was very much eager with his project, his original intent had always been to use it as a family residence for his wife, son and himself.[4]
TheAcademy of Air Warfare [es] of thePeruvian Air Force subsequently occupied the castle's premises in 1949, which it has continued to operate in since, and the castle served as afilming location for movies of the era, such as Enzo Longhi'sLa Perricholi (1928), first screened at theCine Colón.[4]
In 1959, theAeronautical Museum of Peru was inaugurated in the castle's premises, whose collection includes items owned by aviators such asJorge Chávez,Pedro Paulet andJosé Abelardo Quiñones. Another room features an exhibition dedicated to theCenepa War.[2]
