Rioja Palace is an architectural jewel of Viña del Mar.

In 1907, the land on which the farm was owned by Jose Francis Vergara bought Fernando Medel Neila Rioja. He decided to move his residence out of the city of Valparaiso, affected by the 1906 earthquake. Fernando Medel Rioja commissioned renowned Portuguese architect, who lived in France, Alfredo Levy Azankot begin construction of a neo-classical mansion in the center of Viña del Mar.

During the construction of the building, an area of ​​3700 square meters, have been applied the latest technology of the time: Use iron and cement, electricity for lighting and steam for heating, curtains and tapestries for insulation, water supply and sewerage. The building is surrounded by 40 hectares of landscaped park, which has an exotic plant nursery, gardens, private theater, stables, tennis courts, swimming pools, etc.

The luxurious interior of the palace is decorated with antiques in the Empire style, Baroque, Rococo, imported from Spain and France.

In 1920 this building for three months lived Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria, who was invited by the then President Arturo Alessandri Palma on the anniversary of the opening of the Straits of Magellan. This visit was an important recognition of the sovereignty of the State of Chile.

In 1956, the palace became the property of the Municipality of Viña del Mar. Some years it housed the administration of the mayor. Since 1979, the building houses the Museum of Decorative Arts with the collection of the late XIX - early XX century. Since 1985, the palace of La Rioja is a national monument of Chile.

In this palace there own ghost. According to legend, Don Fernando Rioja married off his daughter, but after the wedding it was brought back to the fold, as it turned out to be a simple beloved driver, who was killed in the walls of the palace. Since then, his ghost is looking for his beloved. The spirit of Don Fernando Rioja, dressed in old clothes, too, wanders on the castle after his death. Many see it and hear beautiful piano melody, although no one is touching the instrument.