Santiago de Chile - 535m a.s.l.
Chile's capital is a dynamic, modern city where colonial mansions sit among soaring skyscrapers, folk art becomes fashion and Latin and European cultures intertwine. The city is reinventing itself, with arts, nightlife, and restaurant scenes that have never been better, making this thriving and sophisticated metropolis into the civic, cultural, and historical nucleus of the country. Enjoy it all while gazing up at the peaks of snow-dusted Andes range surrounding the city's extremities.
Was founded as a city over four centuries ago, by the Spanish conquistador, Pedro de Valdivia. Its history, however, goes back to the days when small indigenous communities chose this fertile valley as a place to settle, attracted by the benevolent climate and wealth of natural resources. Around the year 1400 was the first conquest of this territory by the Incas. A century after the Incas, the first Spanish conquistadors arrived on the scene, motivated by the legends about Chile, saying that it was a land bristling with gold and riches. The Spaniards began their conquest campaign from Cuzco, in today’s Peru, to finally settle in the Mapocho River basin. Upon arrival, they found a territory that was not only occupied but organized, with considerable advantages such as the availability of water and a favorable climate, but no gold as they had expected. The land of the Mapocho Valley was the ideal place to establish the project of a city that the Spaniards had brought with them. Thus, Santiago de Nueva Extremadura was founded, a small Hispanic settlement that slowly took shape as a town. On 12th February of 1541, Pedro de Valdivia, heading the expedition that had left Peru a few months earlier, founded the city of Santiago in the name of the Spanish Crown and the Catholic Church. Source: http://www.frommers.com www.santiagocapital.cl
Chile's capital is a dynamic, modern city where colonial mansions sit among soaring skyscrapers, folk art becomes fashion and Latin and European cultures intertwine. The city is reinventing itself, with arts, nightlife, and restaurant scenes that have never been better, making this thriving and sophisticated metropolis into the civic, cultural, and historical nucleus of the country. Enjoy it all while gazing up at the peaks of snow-dusted Andes range surrounding the city's extremities.
Was founded as a city over four centuries ago, by the Spanish conquistador, Pedro de Valdivia. Its history, however, goes back to the days when small indigenous communities chose this fertile valley as a place to settle, attracted by the benevolent climate and wealth of natural resources. Around the year 1400 was the first conquest of this territory by the Incas. A century after the Incas, the first Spanish conquistadors arrived on the scene, motivated by the legends about Chile, saying that it was a land bristling with gold and riches. The Spaniards began their conquest campaign from Cuzco, in today’s Peru, to finally settle in the Mapocho River basin. Upon arrival, they found a territory that was not only occupied but organized, with considerable advantages such as the availability of water and a favorable climate, but no gold as they had expected. The land of the Mapocho Valley was the ideal place to establish the project of a city that the Spaniards had brought with them. Thus, Santiago de Nueva Extremadura was founded, a small Hispanic settlement that slowly took shape as a town. On 12th February of 1541, Pedro de Valdivia, heading the expedition that had left Peru a few months earlier, founded the city of Santiago in the name of the Spanish Crown and the Catholic Church. Source: http://www.frommers.com www.santiagocapital.cl
Plaza de Armas
was the original center of Santiago. Many Spanish colonial cities had a Plaza de Armas which was where people would gather for pretty much everything, back in the day. The Plaza de Armas of Central Santiago boasts an infinite amount of things to see and do. Source: http://santiagotourist.com
was the original center of Santiago. Many Spanish colonial cities had a Plaza de Armas which was where people would gather for pretty much everything, back in the day. The Plaza de Armas of Central Santiago boasts an infinite amount of things to see and do. Source: http://santiagotourist.com
Catedral Metropolitana
This is the fifth cathedral to have been erected at this site because of fire and seismic damage to earlier ones. The cathedral began construction in 1748 following Bavarian Jesuit designs (you can admire their handiwork in the church's brawny cypress doors and silver frontal). It was during the cathedral's fourth restoration in 1780 that Italian architect Joaquín Toesca bestowed his signature harmony and unity, fusing the structure's baroque and neoclassical features with aplomb. It's worth taking a look inside to view the opulent main altar, dripping with white marble, bronze, and lapis lazuli. In 2005 and 2006, the main altar of the cathedral was completely remodeled; in the process, workers discovered the tomb of the lost body of Diego Portales, one of the founding fathers of Chile. Dozens of other Chilean luminaries and archbishops are buried here, too. Source: http://www.frommers.com
This is the fifth cathedral to have been erected at this site because of fire and seismic damage to earlier ones. The cathedral began construction in 1748 following Bavarian Jesuit designs (you can admire their handiwork in the church's brawny cypress doors and silver frontal). It was during the cathedral's fourth restoration in 1780 that Italian architect Joaquín Toesca bestowed his signature harmony and unity, fusing the structure's baroque and neoclassical features with aplomb. It's worth taking a look inside to view the opulent main altar, dripping with white marble, bronze, and lapis lazuli. In 2005 and 2006, the main altar of the cathedral was completely remodeled; in the process, workers discovered the tomb of the lost body of Diego Portales, one of the founding fathers of Chile. Dozens of other Chilean luminaries and archbishops are buried here, too. Source: http://www.frommers.com
The Central market (Mercado Central)
is a prominent and unique metal structure designed in Chile and manufactured in England. Its main characteristic is its neoclassical architectural design: artistic motifs made in wrought iron, ornaments, pillars and arches that support the ceiling; in addition, doors of two sheets of cast iron that stand out by the exquisite motifs of leaves and intertwined stems that cover the eardrum and two figures reclining women, accomplished in cast iron and that symbolize peace and agriculture. This building was opened on September 15th, 1872, under the mandate of President Federico Errázuriz Zañartu. Source: http://www.mercadocentral.cl
is a prominent and unique metal structure designed in Chile and manufactured in England. Its main characteristic is its neoclassical architectural design: artistic motifs made in wrought iron, ornaments, pillars and arches that support the ceiling; in addition, doors of two sheets of cast iron that stand out by the exquisite motifs of leaves and intertwined stems that cover the eardrum and two figures reclining women, accomplished in cast iron and that symbolize peace and agriculture. This building was opened on September 15th, 1872, under the mandate of President Federico Errázuriz Zañartu. Source: http://www.mercadocentral.cl
Iglesia, Convento y Museo de San Francisco
The Church of San Francisco, built between 1586 and 1628, is the oldest standing building in Santiago, having miraculously survived three devastating earthquakes. At the altar sits the famous Virgen del Socorro, the first Virgin Mary icon in Chile brought here to Santiago by Pedro de Valdivia, the conquistador of Chile. Valdivia claimed the icon had warded off Indian attacks. Source: http://www.frommers.com
The Church of San Francisco, built between 1586 and 1628, is the oldest standing building in Santiago, having miraculously survived three devastating earthquakes. At the altar sits the famous Virgen del Socorro, the first Virgin Mary icon in Chile brought here to Santiago by Pedro de Valdivia, the conquistador of Chile. Valdivia claimed the icon had warded off Indian attacks. Source: http://www.frommers.com