Casa Presidencial, San Salvador (must see)

Due to the 2001 earthquakes, the president's offices were moved from San Jacinto to the former Club Campestre in San Benito. As a result, "Casa Presidencial" in El Salvador refers to several separate locations. One is the president's current official residence which is located on Avenida Masferrer in the upper portion of Colonia Escalon. The second "Casa Presidencial" is the old president's offices in San Jacinto. The third "Casa Presidencial" is the current location of the president's offices, which previously was a country club with small golf course.

Construction work on the original official residence began place in 1911. On May 9, 1912,the Legislative Assembly the construction of several buildings, including one destined to be "The Normal School for Teachers" which would later become the presidential house. After the death of President Araujo, President Meléndez modified the original plan for the "Normal School for Teachers" and decided to make it "The Normal School for Boys". It was finished in 1921, but started functioning in 1924. In 1931, the new president Hernández Martinez decided to move the offices of the presidential house to the building that occupied the Normal School for Boys in the San Jacinto neighbourhood, close to the “El Zapote” barracks. Every president who governed from this mansion has tried to give it a personal touch such as remodeling the building, changing the carpets or the wallpaper, or acquiring an art object to add to the collection.