Capital of the Valparaíso region, the city of Valparaíso was one of the chief seaports of Chile during its prime and was fondly known as ‘Little San Francisco’ or ‘The Jewel of the Pacific’ by foreign sailors. During the latter half of the 19th century, Valparaíso was an important stopping point for ships traveling through the Straits of Magellan to and fro the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. When the Panama Canal opened, Valparaíso was struck a huge blow to its ship traffic. It was later taken over by San Antonio, which is now the country’s commercial seaport.
Originally occupied by Indians, of which little is known as to which of the two tribes, Picunches or Changos, were the first inhabitants of Valparaíso. The first Europeans to arrive here in 1536 were the Spaniards and during the colonial period, Valparaíso remained a small village. It was only after Chile got its independence that Valparaíso became an important seaport of the country. It attracted immigrants from Britain, France, Italy, Germany and Switzerland and Valparaíso flourished until the Panama Canal opened in 1914.
Valparaíso reflects a rich Chilean culture and exclusive architecture with its narrow network of streets and cobbled alleyways. With hills in the backdrop and a scenic view of the harbor, Valparaíso is one of the most beautiful cities in Chile. Its rich historical past and its amazingly beautiful architecture comprising of 19th century buildings has made it a UNESCO declared World Heritage Site in 2003. Also, the unique funicular elevators that have a wide network of cable cars, is said to be one of the finest, but it is also one of the endangered treasures of the world.
Some interesting tourist attractions include the Iglesia de la Matriz, courthouse, The Concepcion & Alegre Historical Museum, the Four Season Women in Plaza de la Victoria, the Open Sky Museum at Bellavista Hill and various other places of interest. Apart from receiving cruise liners at the port, Valparaíso has a good metro system and road links. It takes only 80 minutes to get here from the capital city, Santiago and hence is convenient for travelers to get to Valparaíso. With its abundance of natural beauty along with man-made wonders, Valparaíso is certainly worth a visit.
Photo by ✔chilefoto provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by ✔chilefoto provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by ✔chilefoto provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by ✔chilefoto provided courtesy of Panoramio.com
Photo by mauricia provided courtesy of Panoramio.com