What to See in Chile - Top Sights and Attractions

Market in Santiago, Chile. The Mercado Central de Santiago is the central market of Santiago de Chile. It was opened in 1872 and Fermín Vivaceta was in charge of its construction. The market replaced the Plaza del Abasto, which was destroyed by a fire in 1864.

The market is housed in a building in which its main feature is a cast-iron roof and supporting structure, which was fabricated by the Scottish firm R Laidlaw & Sons, Glasgow. Edward Woods and Charles Henry Driver took part in the design of the structure.

The metal structure stands on a square base and features a vaulted ceiling. Its intricate roof design consists of a central pyramidal roof crowned by a domed tower, which is surrounded by 8 smaller roofs with a two-tier design. The structure is enclosed by a masonry building.^[4]

Park in Valparaíso, Chile. The Plaza Sotomayor is a plaza in Valparaíso, Chile. It is named after Rafael Sotomayor. The square is lined by buildings occupying full block-fronts of the streets that flank it. The focus of the square is the monument that honors the Chilean sailors who fell during the Battle of Iquique and the Battle of Punta Gruesa. The plaza and surrounding buildings was designated a Zona Típica on January 23, 1979.

At the northeastern side of the square are two similar towers, which create a sort of gate entrance to the port from the city. On the opposite side is the building that housed the Intendencia de Valparaíso, which currently is home to the headquarters of the Chilean Navy. The building used by the CSAV and the building that houses the National Council of Culture and the Arts also face the plaza.

Close to the station is the western terminus station of the Valparaíso Metro, that replaced the old railway station.^[10]

Petrohué Waterfalls is a chute-type waterfall in the upper reach of Petrohué River in Chile, a short distance downstream of the source of this river in Todos los Santos Lake. This waterfall is inside the Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park, close to the road leading to the Petrohue locality on lake Todos los Santos. Tourists on the international route between Puerto Montt in Chile and Bariloche in Argentina are generally offered a stop for a walk to enjoy the sights.

The waterfall is supported by basaltic lava (andesite) stemming from the Osorno Volcano that sits in between Todos los Santos and Llanquihue Lake and provides an interesting background for pictures. The average water flow of these falls is of 270 m3 per second, but it can be much larger during the rainy season when the surface level of lake Todos los Santos rises by up to 3 meters. The water, decanted in the lake, is usually clear with a green hue; however, occasionally, when lahars descending from the volcano are active, water at the falls can be loaded with sand and silt. Transport of these abrasive materials explains the polished aspect of the rocks.

Attentive visitors may spot a couple of torrent ducks mastering the rapids, with their chicks when in season.^[15]

Famous active volcano with glaciers. Osorno Volcano is a 2,652-metre tall conical stratovolcano lying between Osorno Province and Llanquihue Province, in Los Lagos Region of Chile. It stands on the southeastern shore of Llanquihue Lake, and also towers over Todos los Santos Lake. Osorno is considered a symbol of the local landscape and as such, tends to be the referential element of the area in regards to tourism.

Osorno is one of the most active volcanoes of the southern Chilean Andes, with 11 historical eruptions recorded between 1575 and 1869, including an eruption on January 19, 1835, which was witnessed by British Naturalist, Charles Darwin. The basalt and andesite lava flows generated during these eruptions reached both Llanquihue and Todos los Santos Lakes. The upper slopes of the volcano are almost entirely covered in glaciers despite its very modest altitude and latitude, sustained by the substantial snowfall in the very moist maritime climate of the region. This mountain also produces pyroclastic flow, since it is a composite volcano.

Osorno sits on top of a 250,000-year-old eroded stratovolcano, La Picada, with a 6-km-wide caldera.^[18]

Center with art exhibits and a library. Agustín Ross Cultural Centre, previously known as Casino Ross, is the cultural center of the city of Pichilemu in Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region, Chile. It was constructed between 1906 and 1909 at the request of politician Agustín Ross Edwards. The structure of the cultural center is very similar to that of the Grand Trianon in Versailles, France.

It is best known for housing one of the first casinos of Chile; a casino operated in the building between 1917 and 1931. After 1931 all casinos, except the newly opened Casino de Viña del Mar, were declared illegal. The building has also been used as a post office, a store selling imported goods, a hotel, a discotheque, and a bar. There were two attempts by the local government to purchase the building; the first time in 1982 failed while the second in 1995 succeeded. The former casino was declared a National Monument of Chile along with the Agustín Ross Park in February 1988.

Over time, the building deteriorated, and a project was approved in January 2007 for it to be renovated for use as a cultural center. The restored building opened in January 2009 and houses the local library. In January 2010, the cultural center was inaugurated by President Michelle Bachelet and Mayor Roberto Córdova.^[20]

Cemetery in Punta Arenas, Chile. Cemetery of Punta Arenas Sara Braun is the public cemetery of the city of Punta Arenas, Chile. It has four hectares and is located in the northern area of the city, in Bulnes Avenue, and between the streets Francisco Bilbao and Angamos. There are three entrances: the main entrance is in Bulnes Avenue, and two other entrances are in Francisco Bilbao and Angamos streets. Since the cemetery had long ago reached its capacity, it has been supplemented and largely replaced by a controversial newer cemetery further to the north of the city, though the earlier site retains its status as a "monument cemetery."

The cemetery has been ranked by CNN as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. It was designated a National Monument of Chile in 2012.^[21]

Building in Arica, Chile. The St. Mark's Cathedral also called Arica Cathedral is a Catholic church that is located in the city of Arica in the far north of Chile. The building was a commission by the government of the Peruvian President José Balta to the workshops of the Frenchman Gustave Eiffel and originally intended for Ancon resort.

The old mother church of Arica stood for 226 years, until the colony was destroyed by an earthquake on August 13, 1868. Because of this, a committee of ladies of Arica asked Balta that a new construction be designed for Arica. The request was accepted and the building was inaugurated in 1876 on the ruins of the old mother church.

In 1880, the city of Arica was occupied by the Chilean Army; however, until the early twentieth century, the parish of Arica remained part of the diocese of Arequipa, according to the orders of the Holy See. On February 27, 1910, the mayor of Arica, Maximo Lira, decreed the expulsion of Juan Vitaliano Berroa, parish priest of Arica and his assisting priest Juan Gualberto Guevara, being Peruvian, replacing them with Chilean military chaplains. The jurisdiction of Arica went to the Vicariate General Castrense of Chile and soon after (1911) was annexed to the Vicariate Apostolic of Tarapaca (current Diocese of Iquique).^[31]

Cathedral in Iquique, Chile. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral also called Iquique Cathedral It is a cathedral church of Catholic worship, home of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Iquique in the northern part of the South American country of Chile. It was consecrated in 1882 under the patronage of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

It was built thanks to the fund campaign initiated by the Apostolic Vicar Camilo Ortuzar, after the parish church of Iquique was destroyed by fire on May 10, 1833. In May 1884 the remains of Arturo Prat and others who fell in the naval Battle of Iquique were transferred to the temple, where they remained until moved to Valparaiso in 1888, and in 1885 its construction was completed. In 1929, due to the creation of the Diocese of Iquique, the church acquired the rank of Cathedral.

In 1989 the cathedral, together with the parochial houses attached to it, was declared a historical monument (Monumento histórico).^[33]

Mosque in Coquimbo, Chile. The Mohammed VI Center for Dialogue of Civilizations is a mosque in Coquimbo, Chile. The structure is a replica of the Kutubiyya Mosque in Marrakesh. It was funded by the Kingdom of Morocco and the municipality of Coquimbo, being named in honor of king Mohammed VI of Morocco. The mosque receives 25 thousand visitors every year.

Construction began in 2004, led by Moroccan architect Faissal Cherradi, and finished in 2007. The building was inaugurated by then mayor of Coquimbo Oscar Pereira and Moroccan delegates.

The complex also contains a cultural center, a library and a museum. A renovation project funded by the municipality of Coquimbo and the embassy of Morocco in Chile began in 2019.^[34]

Church in Valdivia, Chile. The Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral Also Valdivia Cathedral Is the main Catholic church of the Valdivia diocese, built in the center of the homonymous city of Valdivia, in the South American country of Chile.

The Cathedral of Valdivia is located on one side of the Republic Square (Plaza de la República), in the center of the city. The building of the cathedral currently houses, on its second floor, the Cathedral Temple; In its first floor, a chapel where the Eucharist is celebrated, the Crypt of the Bishops, a wake and the offices and dependencies of the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary; And in the zócalo, a Museum that conserves different religious objects.

The cathedral is erected in the place where the main Catholic temples of the city have been located, being the thirteenth main Church that has had the city of Valdivia. The different cataclysms that the city has suffered many times destroyed its main temple. The earthquake of 1960 completely destroyed the previous cathedral, built in 1911; The current building dates from 1988.^[35]

Sports facility in Antofagasta, Chile. Estadio Regional de Antofagasta, officially Estadio Regional Bicentenario Calvo y Bascuñan de Antofagasta, is a sport facilities complex located in Antofagasta, Chile. The municipality of Antofagasta is the owner of the building and it used to host sports events such as cultural events and entertainment events. The complex is composed of the Main Stadium who is use made for most important events. The secondary fields, 1, 2, 3 and 4, are used for training sessions. The Field 5 is used to secondary events, with football pitch dimensions and counts with a Baseball field where are made the regional tournaments of this sport.

It is currently the home stadium of the Football Team of the city, Club de Deportes Antofagasta, of Chilean Primera División. The Chile national football team plays for the first time in this stadium on April 28, 2004, in a friendly match with the Perú. With an attendance of 32.000 spectators.

The Complex was built in 1964 by the Municipality of Antofagasta and supported by the Regional Stadium Construction Committee (Comité Pro Construcción Estadio Regional) the main stadium of this complex had an initial capacity of 35.000 spectators, after de renovation, In 2011 started the renovation of the stadium changed the maximum of capacity to 21,178 spectators since in 2013.

In February 2010, by requests from the community of Antofagasta that began in 2003, the mayor of the city called to the community to send names to name the stadium through popular votation to elect this. The winning the name was "Estadio Calvo y Bascuñan".

The stadium has been a venue for the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship, 2013 Supercopa de Chile, Copa Sudamericana 2013 and Copa América 2015.^[36]

Multi-purpose stadium in Concepción, Chile. Estadio Alcaldesa Ester Roa Rebolledo is a multi-purpose stadium in Concepción, Chile. It is used mostly for football matches. The stadium was built in 1962, as Estadio Regional, with an original capacity of 35,000 people. In 2015, it was completely renovated with new seats and a roof; currently has a capacity of 30,448 seats.

Until 2010 it was known as Estadio Municipal de Concepción. The stadium took its new name, Ester Roa Rebolledo, who was a former Concepción city mayor.

The stadium was being renovated by Spanish company COPASA, but in May 2014, after continuing delays, the contract was terminated. In September 2014 the municipality of Concepción hired Chilean company Claro Vicuña Valenzuela to finish the works. The stadium was not completed in time to host two 2015 Copa América group stage matches, which were moved to Santiago's Estadio Monumental David Arellano. It was finally reopened on 25 June 2015, in time to host three Copa América matches.

The Ester Roa is currently the home stadium for Universidad de Concepción, Fernández Vial and Deportes Concepcion; Huachipato and Lota Schwager has also played some important home games at the stadium.

The highest ever recorded attendance was 43,340 on November 12, 1967 at the Primera Division match between Huachipato and Colo-Colo.

The stadium was also featured as a Copa América venue when the 1991 tournament was held in Chile.

In October 1987, the stadium was one of the venues for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

In January 2004, it co-hosted the South American Pre-Olympic Tournament.

In October & November 2015, the stadium was one of the venues for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The stadium is also occasionally used for music concerts and athletics tournaments.^[39]

Tourist attraction in Chile. Maunga Puna Pau is a small crater or cinder cone and prehistoric quarry on the outskirts of Hanga Roa in the south west of Easter Island. Puna Pau gives its name to one of the seven regions of the Rapa Nui National Park.

Puna Pau was the sole source of the red scoria that the prehistoric Rapanui used to carve the pukao (topknots) that they put on the heads of some of their iconic moai statues. The stone from Puna Pau was also used for ahu facia blocks and a non-standard moai found in front of one of the ahu at Vinapu. It was not, contra Wikipedia, used to fashion the crouching moai Tukuturi at Rano Raraku, which is of Rano Raraku tuff.

Archaeological excavations were carried out at Puna Pau between 2009 and 2013by members of the UK Rapa Nui Landscapes of Construction Project team.

The photo shown here is of the re-erected moai on Ahu Kote Riku, part of the Tahai ceremonial complex, not Ahu Tahai, and the topknot is not the original of Puna Pau red scoria, which is now in Hanga Roa cemetery, but a replacement made of red scoria from another location.^[40]

El Laucho Beach is a Pacific Ocean beach located in the Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile.

It is located south of the urban area of Arica and is adjacent to the Alacrán beach on the Alacrán peninsula.

It is a small beach suitable for bathing, but this condition is extended in some meters, because in the surroundings there are rocks. It is protected from the wind, and has a very gentle waves, with mild temperatures and white sand. It has resting places, restaurants, pubs and discotheques. It is equipped with bathrooms, showers, dressing rooms and lifeguard service.

It belongs to the trio of beaches suitable for bathing and better equipped Arica, along with La Lisera and Chinchorro. It is accessed by Comandante San Martín Avenue to the south.

Building in Antofagasta, Chile. The St. Joseph's Cathedral also called Antofagasta Cathedral It is a religious building of the Catholic Church located in the city of Antofagasta, northern Chile, opposite the Colón square, along San Martin Street.It is neo-Gothic style and has beautiful stained glass windows inside, was built between 1907 and 1917.

Its first version, built in 1872, was laurel tables. Two small bells and a triangle of steel placed on a pole protruding (4 to 5 meters high) were the belfry. He was devoured by fire in December 1880.

The first stone of this building was laid on November 15, 1907, an event that was attended by the ecclesiastical authorities of the time. The work of neo-Gothic style, was made by the architect Emile Doyer. The present cathedral was completed on September 17, 1917, although its symbolic inauguration had occurred in 1914.^[44]

Cathedral in Osorno, Chile. St. Matthew's Cathedral, also called Osorno Cathedral, is a Catholic cathedral located in the city of Osorno in the South American country of Chile.

St. Matthew's Cathedral is located in the vicinity of the Plaza de Armas of Osorno and is considered an architectural jewel of Gothic style, and a major tourist site in the city of Osorno. Its designer is the Chilean architect León Prieto Casanova.

It noted for its imposing tower 45 meters high and its large and colorful mosaics and stained-glass windows with representations of biblical figures.

The original cathedral was built in 1577. After the 1960 earthquake, which caused serious structural damage to the cathedral, there was total demolition.

The first stone of the new cathedral was blessed and laid on May 1, 1962, and 15 years later, on November 24, 1977, the new building was consecrated.^[45]

Cathedral in Puerto Montt, Chile. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral Also Puerto Montt Cathedral Is a cathedral church of Catholic worship dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the invocation of Our Lady of the Carmen. It is located in the Plaza de Armas of Puerto Montt, and is the seat of the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Puerto Montt in Chile.

When the city of Puerto Montt was drawn by Vicente Pérez Rosales, he managed to have a plot of land in front of the square set aside to build a church, which was blessed as a parish in 1892. With the creation of the Diocese of Puerto Montt in 1939 By Pope Pius XII was elevated to cathedral. It was repaired in 1941 and then in the 1960s due to damage caused by the 1960 earthquake. In 1975 its interior was restored, and its last intervention was in the year 2002.

Its frontis presents four Doric columns that resemble the Parthenon. Its main structure is composed of native woods that form a planar system of beams resting on 12 columns of larch wood.^[46]

Stadium in Chile. Estadio Fiscal de Talca is a multi-use public stadium in Talca, Chile. It is currently used mostly for association football matches and is the home stadium of Rangers.

The stadium was built in 1930 as "Estadio Municipal de Talca". after seven years, in 1937, it would pass into the hands of the State and began to be called "Estadio Fiscal", with an original capacity of 17,000. In 2011 it was completely renovated, and currently holds 8,200 people (all seated).

In July 2017, the Government of Chile announced that the stadium will expand its seating capacity to 16,000 by building the North and South ends. The expansion will cost CLP $6,811,716,000 (USD $11,352,860) and is set to be completed in September 2018.^[47]

Catholic church in Hanga Roa, Chile. The Holy Cross Church, also known as Hanga Roa Church or simply Catholic Church of Hanga Roa is the name of the religious building affiliated with the Catholic Church in the "Te Pito Te Henua" Street in the city of Hanga Roa, the capital and greater city of the Easter Island, a Territory of Chile in the Pacific Ocean.

The temple that follows the Roman or Latin rite was established in 1937 being its first priest Father Sebástian Englert. The building stands out for its external decoration and the gardens that surround it. Mainly remarkable is its facade that mixes Christian religious motifs and native elements.

It offers masses in Spanish and you can hear songs in the Rapa Nui language. In the inner part there are images carved locally that represent Christian saints, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.

The religious services are attended by both Catholic faithful and tourists attracted by the architecture of the site.^[48]