5/5 Carlos R. 5 years ago on Google • 190 reviews
Santa
Tecla
City
Museum
The
Tecleño
Museum,
also
known
as
MUTE,
is
a
site
that
treasures
a
historically
invaluable
feature:
It
was
a
penitentiary
built
in
1902
by
the
architect
José
Jeréz,
who
designed
the
most
notable
infrastructures
in
the
municipality
of
Santa
Tecla.
During
the
Salvadoran
civil
war,
it
functioned
as
an
army
barracks
and
as
a
detention
center
for
political
prisoners,
who
suffered
torture
or
execution.
Among
the
most
famous
prisoners,
Salvador
Sánchez
Cerén,
current
vice
president
of
the
country,
stands
out.
The
construction
has
characteristics
of
neoclassical
architecture.
It
was
built
with
various
materials,
such
as
baked
clay
brick
and
volcanic
extraction.
The
main
tower
stands
out
on
its
façade,
which
was
used
as
the
mayor's
office.
However,
this
icon
of
Tecleño
justice
was
seriously
damaged
by
the
inclemencies
of
nature,
especially
by
the
earthquake
of
2001.
After
the
municipality
carried
out
some
efforts
to
recover
the
infrastructure,
efforts
were
unified
with
the
“Fons
Catalá
de
Cooperación
al
Development”
of
Spain
and
the
commune
for
the
restoration
of
the
former
penitentiary.
It
was
not
until
2007
that
the
rehabilitation
works
began
and
were
completed
in
2010.
This
place
was
the
municipal
penitentiary
where
people
who
committed
common
crimes,
such
as
the
theft
of
livestock,
chickens
and
public
scandals,
were
held.
It
was
also
used
for
social
activities
where
medicine
and
nursing
courses
were
taught
to
staff
from
the
San
Rafael
Hospital.
In
this
historic
place,
four
rooms
were
built
to
house
15
inmates;
However,
sometimes
they
held
up
to
40
in
each
one.
In
addition
to
the
cells,
there
were
six
punishment
prisons
and
four
other
special
spaces
(two
for
the
kitchen
and
two
for
prisoners
and
special
punishments).
Among
them,
“la
chiquita”
stands
out,
where
neither
sound
nor
light
had
entry.
Every
visitor
will
be
able
to
experience
with
their
senses
the
thousand
and
one
impressions
generated
by
the
coldness
of
this
room
and
other
impressive
attractions
of
the
MUTE
for
FREE.
It
should
be
noted
that
inside,
the
MUTE
jealously
protects
and
displays
vestiges
that
were
found
in
the
restoration
work:
old
cannons,
chains,
clothing
and
graffiti
captured
by
the
Committee
of
Political
Prisoners
that
expressed
slogans
and
messages
of
discontent
at
the
time
of
the
civil
war.
,
between
1980
and
1992.
The
Tecleño
Museum
serves
the
function
of
exhibiting
various
expressions
of
contemporary
art,
including
sculptures,
paintings
created
by
university
students,
a
room
for
audiovisual
documentaries,
photographic
exhibitions
of
Santa
Tecla
and
also
supports
multidisciplinary
events
such
as
dances,
poetry
recitals,
concerts,
among
others.
others.
Address:
Avenida
Manuel
Gallardo
#2-8
Municipality
of
Santa
Tecla,
Department
of
La
Libertad
El
Salvador,
Central
America.
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