Santiago Sightseeing

The Plaza de la Constitucion is an attractive city-block size area on the north side of the presidential palace, La Moneda. It is surrounded by statues of presidents and there are places to sit or paths to stroll. The main focus of the Plaza is the wonderful Palace which was designed by Joaquin Toesca, an Italian who arrived in Chile in 1780 and established the neoclassical style in Santiago.

The palace was built in 1784-1805 as the royal mint but was the presidential residence from 1848 until 1958 and was then turned into government offices. September 1973 saw dramatic events as the military staged a coup, bombing the palace which set it on fire and causing President Allende to commit suicide. Fortunately the palace was rebuilt in 1981 and is once more being used.

In fact, you can actually walk through the courtyards, from north to south, on weekdays. There are orange trees and some good sculptures inside. This was brought about by one of the first decrees of the present Head of State, President Ricardo Lagos Escobar. The measure has been warmly received by the local populace, who cross through the building, toss coins into the ornate fountain in the Orange Grove Patio, and occasionally, bump into the president himself as he goes about his business.

Everyone can watch the carabineros officers in full-dress uniform at the entrance from Constitution Plaza. There is a changing of the guard ceremony at 10am on alternate days (I don’t know how you tell which days!) in the plaza and it is possible, though difficult, to arrange a visit to the palace interior. Most visitors will not bother with this although I am told that some of the rooms are very spectacular.

The plaza on the southern side of the building (fronting Alameda) is not as large or interesting as the Plaza de la Cludadania but if you go here, walk west along Alameda for about a block and you will come to one of the remarkable Easter Island statues. It is well worth seeing.

This is an attractive park with several museums. The area was originally established in 1830 to form a botanic garden and although the total area has been whittled away since then, quite a large park remains. Unfortunately the trees are unlabelled but there are some superb specimens well worth seeing. The easiest way to reach here is by metro line 5 to the last stop – Quinta Normal. We did this on a weekday and were surprised how few people were using the train, station and park but we were told it can get quite crowded on the weekend.

Inside the park there are plenty of paths, open spaces and small quiet corners. There is a pond with boats for rent, bikes for rent, soccer fields, tennis courts and seats for relaxing. The most important museum in the park is the Natural History Museum (Tel. 680 4600). The exhibits follow the earth’s formation, geological history, wildlife, human artefacts and so forth. The presentation may be a little static but the quality of the exhibits seems to be high.

Of more interest to me was the Museo Ferroviario or Railway Museum (Tel: 681 4627). This is an open-air display of 16 steam locomotives, most used on the broad-gauge main line to the south of Santiago. Some of them are absolutely massive so it was no surprise to discover that the older locomotives were US-built and most of the later ones are from Germany. There are toilets here and a model railway display.

Across the road from the southern end of the park is the remarkable Artequin building. This is one of the most striking buildings in Santiago and should not be missed. This was the Chilean pavilion at the 1889 Paris Exhibition and was then dismantled and sent to Chile. The cast iron and glass building is unlike anything else in Santiago. Since 1992 the building has housed the Museo Artequin where there are reproductions of the Western World’s great art. Most would never be mistaken for the originals but it is an interesting concept and is very popular with children and art students.

Two further museums catering mainly to children are in the northern part of the park. These are the Museum of Science and Technology (Tel: 681 6022) and the Museo Infantil (Tel: 681 8808) for under-fives.

This hill is a good place to start an exploration of central Santiago. It was here at the base of the hill the Santiago was founded in 1541. The hill, however, seemed to have been ignored until a military outpost was built there in 1816. It really came into its own during the time of Benjamin Mackenna with his ambitious program to convert the city into what he hoped would be the "Paris of the Americas". Between 1872 and 1874 he had labourers build terraces, paths and viewpoints which were then decorated with statues, trees and flowers. The result was a fashionable venue which was used by Santiago’s elite.

During the mid 1900s, the rapid growth of the city contributed to its decline. But in the 1990s, restoration began and it is now back to its former glory with the added benefit of a lift half way to the summit and the Castillo Hidalgo as an events and exhibition centre for native art. Also, during summer, the area of the mirador becomes a stage for theatre plays and concerts. Today, Santa Lucia Mount is again a good place for a family outing and a recommended spot for tourists, where all can enjoy lush gardens, a panoramic viewpoint, monuments and a taste of Santiago's history.

It may not be so fashionable today, but it is still very popular with locals and visitors. You can enjoy the walks, stop at grand viewpoints and enjoy the tranquillity and beauty of hidden corners. Before starting the climb, I suggest you see the stone inscribed with Pedro de Valdiva’s letter to Charles V describing the beauty and fertility of the area he had just discovered. Just nearby is a mural of the Nobel Prize winning poet Gabriela Mistral. The main entrance to the park is near here with the grand Escalera Monumental and fountain of Neptune. The best way to reach the top is by the free elevator that operates from Santa Lucia Street at Agustinas. This takes you about half-way up the hill and is very welcome on a hot, sunny day.

Various paths converge on a broad terrace with views of the Andes if the weather is kind. Above this is another smaller viewpoint on the summit. Just south of here is the Hermitage Chapel where Mackenna, his wife and three children are buried. The church’s bell was originally in the Compania Church before this was burned down in 1863.

Cerro Santa Lucia is open every day from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, free of charge. We had read about the need for visitors to sign a book at the entry to the park but we were not asked to do this.

This lovely building sits adjacent to the Parque Forestal which was developed with paths, fountains and statues along a section of the Mapocho River over an area which was once a rubbish dump. As part of the development a committee chose Emile Jecquier’s plan for a grand museum based on the Petit Palais in Paris. Work began in 1905 and was finished in time for a grand opening as part of Chile’s centenary celebrations in 1910.

The outside of the building probably looks just like it did when it opened nearly 100 years ago. It is very grand and because there is space around it, this is one of the most impressive buildings in the capital. Both the east and the west facades are lifted directly from Europe. We stood across the road admiring the main entrance for several minutes. The building has a spectacular main hall with a huge glass roof and lovely art nouveau ironwork supporting the gallery. It has been recently modernised but all the major features have been retained. This houses Chile’s principal art collection and is well worth visiting.

The main collection of Chilean painting is upstairs. There are four paintings by Jose Gil de Castro y Morales who was the first notable artist in Chile but who in fact was Peruvian and three big canvases by Robert Matta who was Chile’s most successful painter and the only Chilean artist to achieve worldwide recognition. On the gallery there are lots of 20th-century sculptures produced in large part by Chilean women. Worth seeing are the two works by Laura Rodig and the bust of Juana Edwards by the Croatian Ivan Mestrovic. Only about 15 percent of the collection is on show at any one time. There are often temporary exhibitions as well but this was not the case when we were there.

In the western end of the building is the Museo de Arts Contemporaneo (Tel: 977 1746) which operates independently. This hosts an ever-changing program of contemporary art. Even if you don’t go inside, appreciate the facade, the palm trees and the huge ‘cute’ elephant statue in the forecourt. Walk from here through the parklands to the river.

It is difficult writing about sightseeing in South American cities without mentioning the churches. The Roman Catholic religion has played a prominent part in the life of all these cities and Santiago is no different. No doubt the spectacular historic churches are one of the sightseeing attractions of the city.

While not the most important nor most spectacular church in the city, the Church of San Francisco is the oldest and one of the most interesting. To appreciate the church you need to know a little history. In 1540, Pedro de Valdivia, a Spanish conquistador set out from Cusco, Peru to travel south. After many battles with the local Indians, he established Santiago in 1541. The small town was soon burned down by the Mapuche Indians so the Spaniards re-established it as a fort.

Pedro de Valdivia carried a carved image of the Virgen del Socorro to protect him on his travels and this was acquired by the Franciscans on his death. This image was to be on the high altar of a new church that the Franciscans built in Santiago between 1586 and 1628. The church was built in a Moorish-influenced style and it survives until today. So does the image which still sits on the high altar. The outside is fairly low-key but the interior is cool, dark and remarkably quiet. The coffered ceiling is very impressive. Pedro de Valdivia’s wife is buried here.

In the cloister to the south, the Museo Colonial is a collection of religious at and other items. There are 54 large canvases recounting the life and miracles of St Francis of Assisi in what is perhaps the greatest collection of the late-17th-century Cuzco school of painting. One of the other highlights is the carved cedar sacristy door.

After visiting the church and the museum you can spend a little time in the lovely plaza outside. Even though this is adjacent to the busiest road in the city, there is still a provincial feel about it helped, no doubt, by the lovely trees that line the roadside and the old-world fountain in the middle.