- Joaquín Toesca
Joaquín Toesca y Ricci (
Rome ; 1745 - Santiago;June 11 ,1799 ), born Gioacchino Toesca, was an Italianarchitect who worked for the kings ofSpain , especially inChile .Son of Giuseppe Toesca and Maria Ricci, he started his architecture studies while in the army, in the workshop of
Francesco Sabatini . He traveled with Sabatini to the court inMadrid , also studyingmathematics inBarcelona .In 1780 he traveled to Santiago at the request of the Governor
Agustín de Jáuregui and thearchbishop Santiago Manuel de Alday y Aspée , who wanted him to build a cathedral. In addition to this work, he was also occupied in developing the plans for thePalacio de la Moneda , originally to house the royal mint, and eventually to become Chile's "White House ".In 1782 Toesca was married to
Manuela Fernández de Rebolledo , a colorful and scandalous woman who became involved with one of Toesca's disciples. After she attempted to assassinate Toesca via poisonedasparagus , she was put in a convent (from which she regularly escaped).Toesca did not live long enough to see his two major projects, the Cathedral or the Palacio, completed. However, he did finish a number of other smaller works, including the Cabildo (City Hall) of Santiago, the hospital San Juan de Dios, and breakwaters which would prove crucial in protecting the city from floods. His style throughout was generally neoclassical, and his influence on Santiago--either direct or through his many disciples--is very notable
External links
* [http://www.memoriachilena.cl/mchilena01/temas/index.asp?id_ut=joaquintoesca(1752-1799) A basic biography] (Link appears to be broken)
* [http://www.dibam.cl/patrimonio_cultural/patrimonio_zonas/sel_toesca.htm Story of Toesca's scandalous wife]
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