The Casa de la Estrella, on the eastern side of Plaza Bolívar, is one of the most important political sites in nineteenth-century Venezuelan history. Originally a Jesuit foundation, the building was confiscated when the order was expelled and served at different points as a hospital, a barracks, and the seat of the early-republic Congress. It was here, in May 1830, that the Constituent Congress meeting in Valencia formally separated Venezuela from Gran Colombia and adopted its first constitution as an independent republic.
The interior preserves the assembly hall in something close to its 1830 layout, with the original wooden benches and a portrait gallery of the delegates. Smaller rooms hold documents, period furniture, and a small archaeological collection. Opening hours can be limited; the courtyard is worth a look even when the museum proper is closed.