The House of Independence Museum [Casa de la Independencia Museum] (Asunción)
By the 19th century, the momentum for independence was growing in Spanish America and Portuguese Brazil.
Paraguay belonged to the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, centered on Buenos Aires. In 1810, the citizens of Buenos Aires declared independence from Spain and summoned representatives from across the viceroyalty. Paraguay, however, refused to join.
The following year, Buenos Aires attempted to annex Paraguay by force but failed.
In a house in the center of Asunción, people including José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (who would later become Paraguay's first head of state) gathered and held meetings for independence.
On May 15, 1811, they declared independence from Spain.
This house, used for preparations for independence, came to be called the “House of Independence” and is now open to the public as a museum.
