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Top architectural sightseeing and landmarks of Santiago - ideas on city exploration routes


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The cultural capital of Chile - Santiago – never ceases to attract travelers by dozens of iconic architectural and cultural landmarks. Cathedral of Santiago, Gran Torre Santiago, Estacion Mapocho, and Entel Tower is, by far, not the complete collection of objects of interest. In this review, we will try to include descriptions of the most important architectural landmarks of Santiago. We accompany them with interesting facts, colorful photographs, and 3D virtual tours. These 3D tours allow you observing the landmarks from a bird’s eye view. Simply turn on the HD video and enjoy the flight!

Cathedral of Santiago, Santiago

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Cathedral of Santiago de Chile is a main Catholic sanctuary in Santiago and the residence of the archbishop of Santiago de Chile.
»  The cathedral is built in a baroque style. Together with a bishop’s palace and the Tabernacle Church, it is the part of an architectural complex.
»  It is a national monument that is located in the Plaza de Armas, in the city center.
»  Some of the most interesting attractions in the cathedral are carved and wooden desks of the 19th century and an organ. They were made in the workshop of Calera de Tango in 1756.
»  Here, you can visit masses and touch the tombs of great Chilean persons.

Gran Torre Santiago, Santiago

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Gran Torre Santiago is a 64-storey skyscraper in Santiago. It is the highest building in South America.
»  Gran Torre Santiago is a part of the Costanera Center that also includes a shopping mall, two hotels, and two office buildings.
»  The 64-storey tower is an office building too.
»  Here, offices meet the standards of international security and infrastructure. There are even thermo panels and anti-UV windows.
»  In the building, there are 24 lifts, 19 of which have double cabins.

Estacion Mapocho, Santiago

Location on the map:   Facts:
» Estacion Mapocho is a former railways station that was built in Santiago at the beginning of the 20th century. For many years, Estacion Mapocho had been serving as the center of railway service.
»  It was built in honor of the hundredth anniversary of the independence of Chile.
»  In 1976, the building of the railway station was declared a national monument.
»  In 1987, it was demolished due to its poor condition. As the demolition of national monuments is forbidden, it was decided to reconstruct and update the building.
»  It was finally restored in 1994. As railway service had been already changed by that time, the station stopped being used as intended.
»  Nowadays, Estacion Mapocho is a cultural center in Santiago. The station is mostly used for organizing art exhibitions, concerts, and business meetings.

Entel Tower, Santiago

Location on the map:
Facts: » The 127-meter Entel TV Tower was built in the center of Santiago in 1974. It is one of the main attractions in the city.
»  Entel is the biggest Chilean telecommunication company.
»  In the TV Tower, there is an observation platform that has a wonderful view of the city.
»  For the first time, the tower broadcast TV shows in 1976.
»  The tower has been the highest construction in Chile for many years. It is the symbol of Santiago now.

National Library, Santiago

Location on the map:
Facts: » Every year, the National Library in Chile attracts many tourists with its beautiful architecture.
»  Today, the library occupies a beautiful building. It is a neoclassical architectural monument that started to be constructed in 1913, in honor of the hundred anniversary of the foundation of the National Library.
»  In the library, there are millions of books and historical archives.
»  In the same building, there is the tomb of Bernardo O'Higgins, a Chilean leader who declared independence.
CONTINUE - PART II »»
Santiago - guide chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Build your walking routes in Santiago on the landmark map

More to see in Santiago
Among the most remarkable and significant landmarks of the city the Basilica del Salvador is best worth mentioning and visiting by all tourists without exception. The Basilica is located in the center of the Brazil borough of the city which a few years ago was a center of bohemian life of the destination. The construction of the Basilica building was finished in 1892. The building is executed in keeping to the best traditions of Neo Gothic style. The Basilica is closed for public. Tourists will have a chance to estimate its inner decoration and design only on significant religious holidays. Another heavily visited spot of tourist interest of the city is the central cemetery (Cementerio General) serving as the final destination of prominent citizens and politicians. The cemetery is of great architectural and historical interest and significance as its territory keeps numerous unique constructions and monuments each of them featuring its own history. The most remarkable nature attraction of the tourist destination is considered to be the Saint Lucia Mountain. A hundred years ago the mountain was just a rocky hill. At present the top of the mountain is taken with a magnificent garden being decorated with hundreds of species of rare plants and flowers, ingenious statuary groups and beautiful fountains. The garden is a place of location of an ancient chapel which keeps several remarkable religious artifacts. Considering other architectural landmarks and sites of the destination … Read further

Architectural landmarks in the regions around Santiago

Buenos Aires
Argentine National Congress is the building, where meetings of the National Congress of Argentina are held. National Congress Palace was built in the neoclassical style. An interesting feature of the building is a dome that is 80 meters high and weighs 30,000 tons. The dome of the National Congress is adorned with the crown with chimeras. The edges of the gable of the palace are decorated with sculptures of winged lions, and the emblem of ... Open »
Lima
The Cathedral of Lima is a very picturesque building decorated with statues and stone elements. The cathedral looks very spectacular at night when it is illuminated from all angles. Francisco Pizarro, a Spanish conquistador and founder of the city, started the construction of the first Catholic church in 1535. Over the centuries, it had been destroyed by earthquakes and rebuilt many times. That is why the exterior of the church combines different ... Open »
Sao Paulo
The Sao Paulo Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral of Sao Paulo, one of the largest neo-Gothic churches in the world. The history of the cathedral dates back to 1589, when it was decided to build the main church of the colony in the small village of Sao Paulo. Construction of the present cathedral began in 1913 and lasted for almost half a century; the cathedral was consecrated in 1954. Towers were finished only in 1967. That’s the largest ... Open »
Rio de Janeiro
Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most famous and popular monuments in the world. It even was chosen to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. The Christ statue sits atop Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro; that’s the symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil as a whole. The height of the statue with pedestal is 38 meters, and arm span is 28 meters. Being the highest point of the county, the statue becomes ... Open »
Mexico
The high Catholic basilica of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary with a bell tower dates from the 16th century. It took two hundred years to construct it. The exterior is a mix of three architectural styles: Baroque, Renaissance, Neoclassicism. A tall construction made of grey stone and finished with white granite has two seventy-metre towers. It’s decorated with carved pillars and an arched entrance. The corner towers have 30 bells. The central ... Open »
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