Plaza de la Ciudadanía

Plaza de la Ciudadanía ("Citizenry Square") is a public square located in the southern façade of the Palacio de La Moneda (Chile's presidential palace). It used to be part of the grass garden and parking area of the Palace.

In November 2004 the construction of the new Plaza began, as part of the Bicentennial Projects (a series of public works constructed by the Government of the Republic all over the country for the celebrations of the Nation's 200 years of independent rule in September 18 2010). The first stage of the works, inaugurated in January 2006, features as centerpiece the Centro Cultural Palacio de La Moneda ("La Moneda Palace Culture Centre"), a big underground cultural facility, as well as two water mirrors, two lines of fountains, a new underground parking area and the relocation of the statue of former-president Alessandri.

In the future, the nearby Alameda avenue will go underground, allowing to connect the Plaza directly with the Paseo Bulnes (Bulnes Boulevard), respecting the original design of the Barrio Cívico de Santiago ("Civic Quarter"), with a grand perspective from the Palace and other government buildings down the Boulevard. This third phase of the project is still pending final approval.