Cultural Centre The Flower of Venezuela

Preparing for the World Expo 2000 in Hannover, Venezuela decided to present its country with the concept of "flower for the world". This is how the project of the Cultural Centre "The Flower of Venezuela" (La Flor de Venezuela), also called Flower of Hannover (Flor de Hannover), was born.

The building was marked at an exhibition in Germany and got the prestigious award for the best architectural project.

After the exhibition, the pavilion, designed by the Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas, was located in the city of Barquisimeto. The works of the author who invented the building can be seen in different cities of the country: the most famous of his creations are the Club Táchira building and the Museum of Modern Art in Caracas, the temple of the Divine Saviour in San Cristobal.

However, the building did not move to Barquisimeto immediately after the exhibition. The installation of the pavilion required observance of formalities, so it "burst into blossom" in its current location only in 2008.

The unusual structure is located in the roof construction, which resembles 16 petals of an orchid, the national flower of Venezuela. The building consists of three levels, "covered" with petals folded into a bud with a diameter of 39 meters.

The petals "come to life", open and close, activated by a special mechanism. This kinetic, naturalistic design has not lost its relevance and attractiveness to this day: the building with a glass facade has become a landmark of Barquisimeto.

The pavilion has a library, an amphitheater for shows and exhibitions, and is enlivened by layered beds with flowers and garden plants. A central spiral staircase leads to the three exhibition floors of the building, as well as to an elevator. Visitors climb the floors where thousands of plants and numerous aquariums demonstrate the country's biological diversity. At night, the entire building is illuminated, creating one of the city's most iconic sites.

In 2013, "TheFlower of Venezuela" was included in the list of the country's cultural heritage. The unusual plant-building belongs to the state, which provided the pavilion for management to the government of the Venezuelan Lara State.