Palacio Federal Legislativo

Welcome to the Palacio Federal Legislativo, also known as the Capitolio, an iconic National Historic Monument housing Venezuela's National Assembly. Situated southwest of Plaza Bolívar in Caracas, this historic complex was constructed between 1872 and 1877 under President Antonio Guzmán Blanco, replacing a former convent. Designed by architect Luciano Urdaneta Vargas alongside Juan Hurtado Manrique and engineer Roberto Garcia, the bright white, Neoclassical complex incorporates structural cast iron and features two main rectangular buildings—the Legislative Palace and the Federal Palace—connected around a courtyard with a central fountain and garden inside iron railings.

You will find a striking, symmetrical façade completed in 1877, complete with a central portico, triangular pediment showcasing bas-relief busts of Simón Bolívar and Antonio Guzmán Blanco, and three columnated portals featuring caryatids of Justice and Freedom. Inside, you can admire notable 19th- and early 20th-century paintings by Venezuelan artists such as Antonio Herrera Toro, Tito Salas, Pedro Centeno Vallenilla, and Emilio Jacinto Mauri. The crown jewel of your visit is the Salón Elíptico (Oval Room), topped by a golden dome.

Here, you will see Martín Tovar y Tovar's vivid ceiling painting of the Battle of Carabobo alongside the handwritten Declaration of Independence.

What to see at Palacio Federal Legislativo

• Marvel at the bright white Neoclassical façade with caryatids representing Justice and Freedom
• Admire the golden, oval-shaped dome topping the famous Salón Elíptico
• View Martín Tovar y Tovar's ceiling painting depicting the crucial Battle of Carabobo
• Inspect historic treasures including the handwritten 1811–1812 Venezuelan Declaration of Independence
• Relax by the courtyard's central fountain set in a small garden framed by iron railings

Visiting tips

Be sure to look up inside the Salón Elíptico to appreciate the remarkable ceiling mural depicting the Battle of Carabobo beneath the golden dome.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Palacio Federal Legislativo is easy to reach on Caracas’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Mosque of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim and Caracas Museum of Fine Arts. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Caracas travel guide.