NEOCLASSICAL ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

History

Hotel Darío is a refurbished two-story building with a distinctive neoclassical architectural style. Originally a home, it was built in 1904 by the distinguished Mrs. Angelica Balladares. For many years, this house was known as “Angélica`s Mansion.” Due to its cultural significance, this building is listed as a heritage site of the city of Granada. The care and maintenance of the building is vital to preserve its importance to the city.

In 2005, it was acquired by the Velilla Garcia family of Spanish origin who restored the building to its former splendor. It opened its doors once again in 2007 as Hotel Darío, in honor of the Nicaraguan poet of universal recognition Rubén Darío.

Typological Data: Its layout is of a bay and central courtyard flanked by a covered corridor on one side and environments in the other sector, a second courtyard with a pool added surrounded by new rooms. The building gives onto two streets, with 5 external accesses in its main façade on La Calzada Street. In elevation, its composition is of two stories and stands out from the other buildings on the street due to its incredible monumentality. The first floor has 4 secondary access doors with straight lintels framed by geometric figures as trimming and a central access with a semicircular arch and a keystone that creates a modillion marking the central access. The façade in general has 6 pilasters integrated into the two floors, balconies with balustrades, sustained by modillions that define each of the doors. The façade ends with a cornice followed by a marquee and dual-pitched roof. In the interior slender wood columns form the corridors with arcades of Moorish influence leading to different environments to enhance a building of patrimonial value.