Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia

The Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia is an intricate building that takes up a full block of Compañía Street in central Santiago, between Bandera and Morandé. Built in two stages between 1905 and 1930, it is still used as a courthouse for the Supreme Court, the Santiago Court of Appeals and the military court. The courthouse faces Plaza Montt Varas with its soaring columns and intricate architectural features (like the condor carved above the entrance, standing on an open book with LEX cut into it). Since this view faces north the columns stay in the direct sun through most of the day and are best captured from the far side of the plaza to help give a sense of their size. Since the plaza is dotted with shallow water panels set into the ground, you can experiment with capturing the building mirrored at your feet. Inside, a hall three storeys tall runs the length of the building under a glass vault with a beautiful stained glass panel in the centre. Flanking the main staircase are carved female figures holding bronze swords. There is no charge to enter, but guards and a security check are at the door, plus interior photography is usually restricted when court is in session, so it is best to ask before you start shooting. As a bonus the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino and the old National Congress are both a couple of minutes away to easily add to your shooting adventure. (Santiago, Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile)