San José palace

Uruguay Department, Argentina

Open to visitors

The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.

Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.

Phone: +54 3442 43-2620

From OpenStreetMap — confirm before travelling

Find out more

OfficialOfficial website↗

The San José Palace stands 23 kilometres from Concepción del Uruguay in Argentina's Entre Ríos province, a landmark of mid-nineteenth-century Italian-Argentine architecture designed by Pedro Fossati and constructed between 1848 and 1858. Built as the personal residence of Justo José de Urquiza, President of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860, the palace showcases Italianate style with remarkable luxury—Italian marbles, French mirrors, and gilded roofs adorn its principal floor, which comprises 38 rooms arranged around two courtyards, along with a chapel, library, archive, and twin surveillance towers. The building pioneered complete indoor plumbing in Argentina, drawing water from the Gualeguaychú River two kilometres distant; Buenos Aires lacked such a system until 1870. The palace served as a venue for diplomatic receptions and international treaty signings. Urquiza was assassinated here on 11 April 1870, and the bloodstained handprints left in the room were later preserved when his widow converted the space into an oratorium. Now designated a National Historical Monument of Argentina, the palace functions as the Justo José de Urquiza Museum.