Arnoldo Gabaldón Institute of Higher Studies and José Antonio Páez Barracks

As in every city or town in the world, here in Maracay there are hidden architectural gems that may go unnoticed by the common citizen, such is the case of the Instituto de Altos Estudios Arnoldo Gabaldón and the BarracksJosé Antonio Páez. Both structures are located between Bermudez Avenue and San Agustin Avenue. They are places that look relatively good to the eye, but believe me when I tell you that the people of this city care little about them, few know them and few use them as points of reference, but I found them interesting to share them with the community.

Starting with the Institute of Higher Studies, it has, and excuse my ignorance if it doesn't, a colonial look. The entrance looks great with details in the door frame and the letters in gold color that make it stand out quite well, from my point of view give it a lot of elegance. We can also notice 5 small windows at the top and 2 more on the sides of the entrance, these are longer, but not wider. We can also notice 5 stars at the top of the entrance, I don't really know what they mean, but I understand that in this institute they do research related to health, so maybe that's what they mean.

I was not allowed access to the inside, but I was able to take a picture of what it looks like from the outside and immediately we can see that the arches prevail, at least in the central courtyard which is illuminated by daylight, so I presume there is no roof there.

To the right of the structure we can see that the same architectural style of the entrance is maintained, the white color prevails and there is a long corridor with white columns on the sides which looks beautiful with trees and bushes on the roof.

The left side, on the other hand, looks much more neglected and without maintenance, it is noticeable that it is an area that is not used for any purpose of the institution and it is a pity because it looks like an ideal space to rest and hang out, there is plenty of shade and trees on the sides.

The back part is much simpler structurally, but it has a very nice back entrance and immediately we can see what appears to be a balcony with white columns. The roof composed of terracotta-colored tiles gives it a neat appearance, we can also see that there are many windows.

On the other hand, immediately to the side, we have the Paez Barracks, as it is popularly known. As the name indicates, it is a site inhabited by the military and for obvious reasons is closed to the public. This structure is much simpler, but still striking. The yellow and pastel tones give warmth to the sight and like the institute of higher studies, it has a style reminiscent of the colonial era.

On the outside of the barracks, we can find two very well preserved statues, one is of General José Antonio Páez and the other of Francisco de Miranda, both heroes of Venezuela. It was a pleasure to share with you these two hidden and inconspicuous jewels of my city, I hope to see you soon with much more. Greetings!