The Casa Marcionelli was a historical residential and commercial building located near San Martín Plaza, in Lima. The 3-storey building was partially destroyed in 2023 by a fire during a series of protests in its immediate surroundings.[1][2] The building was named after its first owner, Severino Marcionelli.[2][3]
| Casa Marcionelli | |
|---|---|
Casona Marcionelli, Edificio Marcionelli | |
 The building (centre left) behind the equestrian statue of San Martín Plaza in 1941 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Destroyed (partial) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival (Neocolonial) |
| Location | Historic Centre of Lima |
| Address | Jr. Carabaya 955 |
| Completed | 1923 |
| Destroyed | January 19–20, 2023 |
History
editThe building's area was bought by Italian Swiss businessman and philanthropist Severino Marcionelli (Bironico, 1869 – Lima, 1957), originally from Ticino,[2][3] alongside his business partner, José Di Luka Hanza Pericevic, originally from Cannosa, Dalmatia.[4] Marcionelli, who emigrated to Peru in 1890,[5] was a mining entrepreneur who owned mines in southern Peru, had previously participated in the construction of the high-altitude Galera railway tunnel in Ticlio, and had also ventured into the country's agricultural sector.[2][5] He also helped establish and was an important member of local organizations, such as the Club de la Unión or the Peruvian chapter of Pro Ticino, a diaspora organization for Ticinese Swiss in Peru, becoming an important member of the diaspora.[3][6][7]
The building, built in the 1920s, originally housed Marcionelli's mining company's offices.[2] Marcionelli himself served as honorary consul as the building also began to house the Consulate general of Switzerland in Lima until the late 1940s, when the consulate was elevated to a legation.[2][3][6][8] The current location of the Swiss embassy in Lima also belonged to Marcionelli.[7]
Fire
editA fire began on the night of January 19, 2023, amid anti-government protests in its immediate surroundings and in the nearby San Martín Plaza. The fire was classified as a Code 3, i.e. out of control, later escalating to a Code 4, i.e. an unsalvageable fire or a "local tragedy".[9][10] The building's façade gradually collapsed in the night of the 19th and early morning of the 20th, with only parts of the first floor surviving.[7] Firefighters reportedly had problems with fire hydrants and were thus unable to properly stop the fire for hours.[11] At the time of the fire, the house had been recently restored for the rental of its spaces in artistic exhibitions and to be used as a hostal.[11] One person was evacuated to a nearby hospital and two people were treated for smoke inhalation as a result of the fire.[12] All of the building's inhabitants were evacuated but were left homeless.[13][14]
Tear gas canisters deployed by police forces were pointed out by protestors as a possible source of the fire, but statements by authorities such as Interior Minister Vicente Romero Fernández pointed out that such a claim was false, as said devices cannot cause fires.[15] The cause of the fire is still under investigation.[16]
A security camera from the Municipality of Lima recorded the moment in which the protesters launched fireworks near the house; the residents of the place declared to the press that an explosion was heard before the incident.[17]
See also
edit- Giacoletti Building, destroyed in 2018
- Casa Tenaud, destroyed in 1945
References
edit- ^ "La jornada de la "toma de Lima" termina con enfrentamientos y el incendio en un edificio en el centro histórico de la capital peruana". BBC Mundo. 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b c d e f Llerena, Paula; Pacheco Ibarra, Juan José (2023-01-20). "¿Cuál es la historia detrás de la casona que se quemó y derrumbó durante las protestas en Lima?". Trome.
- ^ a b c d "Severino Marcionelli (1869-1957)". Repubblica e Cantone Ticino.
- ^ "Perú, matrimonios, 1600-1940", database, FamilySearch (Ark:/61903/1:1:FN1P-TKD : 8 February 2020), Jose L. Hanza, 1899.
- ^ a b "Casa Marcionelli, la historia que oculta la casona incendiada en la 'Toma de Lima'". Infobae. 2020-01-20.
- ^ a b "Pro Ticino, un pedazo de Suiza en el Perú". Swissinfo. 2007-05-03.
- ^ a b c Batalla, Carlos (2023-01-20). "Edificio Marcionelli: ¿quién era el dueño del edificio incendiado cerca de la plaza San Martín durante las protestas?". El Comercio.
- ^ Gerardi, Dario (2011-01-11). "Pérou". Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse DHS.
- ^ "Fachada de edificio cercano a la Plaza San Martín se derrumba tras incendio de Código 4". RPP Noticias. 2023-01-19.
- ^ "Incendio en el Centro de Lima: Imágenes de como empezó el siniestro cerca de la Plaza San Martín". Gestión. 2023-01-20.
- ^ a b Trelles, Jahir (2023-01-20). "¿Cómo lucía la casona antes de ser incendiada en las manifestaciones?". InfoMercado.
- ^ "Incendio en el Centro de Lima fue confinado en horas de la madrugada". Andina. 2023-01-20.
- ^ "Damnificados de edificio incendiado en la Plaza San Martín claman ayuda: lo perdieron todo y durmieron en la calle". Infobae. 2023-01-20.
- ^ "Bomberos continúan trabajos en edificio Marcionelli: así quedó la casona del Centro de Lima". La República. 2023-01-20.
- ^ "Protestas en Lima causaron daños valorizados en 800 mil soles, según la MML". RPP Noticias. 2023-01-20.
- ^ "Ministro del Interior descarta que bomba lacrimógena haya ocasionado incendio en Lima". Andina. 2023-01-20.
- ^ "Voraz incendio en Jr. Carabaya paraliza protestas momentáneamente en Centro de Lima". Ojo. 2023-01-19.