Discover 15 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Valparaíso (Chile). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Edificio Armada de Chile, Sacred Hearts Church, and Plaza Sotomayor. Also, be sure to include Iglesia de la Matriz in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Valparaíso (Valparaíso).
Table of Contents
Edificio Armada de Chile
The Edificio de la Comandancia en Jefe de la Armada de Chile, also known as Edificio de la Intendencia de Valparaíso, because it was a purpose-built Intendencia, is a building designed in an eclectic style with Renaissance Revival architecture elements, which rises 5 floors in height and covers 8,000 square metres. The main facade of the building faces the Plaza Sotomayor of Valparaíso and the Monument to the Heroes of Iquique.
The building has been the site of historical and social events, which were numerous and important. On January 23, 1979 it was declared a Historic Monument de Chile, at the same time both the Plaza Sotomayor and the surrounding buildings was declared a Zona Típica y de Protección.[1]
Address: 592 Sotomayor, Valparaíso
Sacred Hearts Church
Church in Valparaíso, Chile. The Sacred Hearts Church is a Catholic church located at 2086 Independencia Street, in El Almendral neighborhood, in Valparaíso, Chile. Staffed by the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, it was built to serve as the church for the Colegio de los Sagrados Corazones de Valparaíso community. The church was declared as a National Monument of Chile in 2003, within the category of Historic Monuments.[2]
Plaza Sotomayor
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.[3]
Iglesia de la Matriz
Church in Valparaíso, Chile. The Iglesia de La Matriz del Salvador is a church in the city of Valparaíso, Chile. Located in the heart of the port district of the city, surrounded by cobblestone streets and houses it has a historical importance in the city and was declared a National Monument of Chile in 1971.[4]
Address: Santo Domingo, Valparaíso
Palacio Baburizza
Museum in Valparaíso, Chile. Palacio Baburizza is the former residence of Croatian businessman Pascual Baburizza located in Valparaíso, Chile. It was built in 1916 by Italian architects, and eventually turned into a museum in 1971, and declared a historic monument in 1976.[5]
Address: Paseo Yugoslavo 176, 2370549 Valparaiso
Capilla del Carmen
The Capilla del Carmen, also known as Capilla de la Medalla Milagrosa, is a chapel located on the lower flank of El Litre Hill, in El Almendral neighborhood of Valparaíso, Chile. Built in 1928, it was run by the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, who provided care to patients of the adjacent Hospital Carlos Van Buren until March 2017. The chapel was declared as a National Monument of Chile on May 20, 2003, within the category of Historic Monuments.[6]
Arco Británico
Tourist attraction in Valparaíso, Chile. The Arco Británico is a monument on Avenida Brasil, in Valparaíso, Chile. It was donated to the town in 1910 by the British community there to mark the centenary of the Independence of Chile. Designed by the Chilean architect Alfredo Azancot, the arch was unveiled in 1911.
The monument, covered in marble brought from Italy, is surmounted by a British Victorian lion and is decorated with the images of four Britons who participated in the Chilean War of Independence: Thomas Cochrane, Bernardo O'Higgins, Robert Simpson and Jorge O'Brien. It also bears the Chilean and United Kingdom coats of arms.
The arch was visited by Queen Elizabeth II during her official visit to Chile in 1968, and by Prince Charles in 2009.[7]
Address: Av. Brasil 1509, Valparaíso
Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia
The Palacio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Valparaíso is a courthouse housing the Court of Appeals for the Valparaíso Region. It is located at the feet of the Cerro Alegre, in the city of Valparaíso, Chile. The Edificio Armada de Chile and the Plaza Sotomayor are nearby.[8]
Address: Plaza de la justicia 99, Valparaíso
Plaza Aníbal Pinto
The Plaza Aníbal Pinto is a plaza built on reclaimed land in Valparaíso, Chile. Formerly Plaza del Orden, Plaza Aníbal Pinto is named after Aníbal Pinto. It features a fountain called "Fuente de Neptuno", which was erected in 1892.[9]
Address: Esmeralda 1199, Valparaíso
St. James Cathedral
Also known as: Catedral de Valparaíso
Catholic cathedral in Valparaíso, Chile. The St. James Cathedral also called Valparaíso Cathedral is a cathedral church of Catholic worship, seat of the Diocese of Valparaíso, in Chile. It is located in El Almendral neighborhood, on the east side of the Plaza de la Victoria and on the flat land of the city.
Currently, the church also serves as parish church for the Holy Spirit Parish, whose former religious centre also faced the square but was built on another site. The wedding of Captain Arturo Prat and Carmela Carvajal was celebrated at the former church.
The church building, Gothic in style, was built from 1910 to 1950 on land donated by Juana Ross Edwards. It was restored after the earthquakes of 1971 and 1985.[10]
Address: Chacabuco 1778, Valparaíso
Edificio Luis Cousiño
Edificio Luis Guevara Arias is a cruiseship shape building. This construction, located between Errázuriz Avenue and Blanco Street in Valparaíso, was the residence of textile tycoon Luis Guevara Arias; it was built between 1881 & 1883 years. It was abandoned for many years, several establishment have was there without luck. In 1994, it was declared a National Monument by the Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales.
At the present, this place is part of DUOC Educational Institute.[11]
San Francisco Church
Also known as: Iglesia de San Francisco
Church in Valparaíso, Chile. San Francisco Church is a Catholic church located in Barón Hill, Valparaíso, Chile. The church served as lighthouse to the navigants who were arriving Valparaíso until the early 20th century, being the first recognizable point of the city. Valparaíso is often nicknamed with the diminutive form of Francisco: Pancho.
The church was constructed by the Franciscan community. The construction works ended in 1846. The building was remodeled in 1890 by architect Eduardo Provasoli.
The church was named National Monument of Chile on 19 July 1983. In the middle of a reconstruction process after the 2010 Chile earthquake, the church was severely damaged by a fire in September 2010. It was once again affected by a fire in August 2013 close to its re-inauguration by President Sebastián Piñera.[12]
Address: Blanco Viel 572, Valparaíso
Library of Congress of Chile
Library in Valparaíso, Chile. The Library of Congress of Chile is a library in Santiago, Chile.[13]
Cementerio de Disidentes
Cemetery in Valparaíso, Chile. The Cemetery of Dissidents is a cemetery located on the Panteón hill, in front of the Cemetery nº 1 and at one side of the old city jail in Valparaíso, Chile.
It was created in 1825 to hold the remains of the British and other Europeans residents, whose Protestant faith differed from the official state religion at the time; Roman Catholicism.
In the early 19th century, immigrants to Valparaíso who were not Catholic were forbidden form being buried in Catholic cemeteries; as such, they were buried on Playa Ancha hill, or simply thrown into the sea. In 1823 British consul George Seymour, with the aid of mayor Robert Simpson, bought some land at one side of the city jail, to build a special cemetery for "dissidents" (i.e. those who did not adhere to the Catholic faith.)
The cemetery is divided into eight sections and has nearly 800 graves. Most of the burials belong to immigrants of British, German and American origin.
Inside Cemetery No. 1, there is a monument dedicated to the American sailors who died during the 1814 Battle of Valparaiso, when the USS Essex was captured by the English ships Cherub and Phoebe.
There is also a monument dedicated to Reverend David Trumbull, founder of the Presbyterian Church of the city.
In 1883, religious discrimination in municipal cemeteries was abolished. Until that year, the Cemetery of Dissidents also housed non-Catholics who had died in other cities such as Santiago and La Serena.
The cemetery suffered damages in the 1906 and 2010 earthquakes. Renovations in 2011 subsequently included a new memorial "Plaza of the immigrant".[14]
Address: Dinamarca 145, Cerro Panteon, Valparaíso
Ascensor Barón
The Ascensor Barón, built in 1906, is a funicular located on its namesake hill in Valparaíso, Chile, and was declared a Historic Monument on September 1, 1998.[15]