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SANTIAGO:
An Historic and Emerging City |
History
Chile's capital was founded in 1541, by the Spanish Captain Pedro de Valdivia,
on the banks of the Mapocho river in the middle of the Central Valley. The independence
in 1810 brought new found wealth to Chile. Leading the construction of several
monumental works that were to completely transform the capital, the creation of
extensive parks and gardens, a fine arts museum, and new bridges over the Mapocho
river, were among the important works of this era. Today, it is one of the most
modern and largest cities in South America and Chile’s main commercial and
business pole.
At the foot of the Andes Mountains the city stands 543 meters above sea level
and 161 miles from sea. Approximately five million people live here, which is
one third of the country's total population. City Life: Today, Santiago is a clean,
modern city with an exceedingly pleasant Mediterranean climate, abundant parks
and plazas, and an efficient public transportation system, the Metro. The areas
of principal interest to visitors include the historic city center or "centro",
the bohemian arts district of Bellavista, the modern attractive commercial district
and sidewalk cafes of Providencia, and the sparkling new high rises of Las Condes
and Vitacura, the Barrios Altos (higher-income neighborhood).
Modern Inhabitants
Modern Santiago is a dynamic, engaging city that surprises visitors with its familiarity, on the one hand, and its unimagined variety and industriousness, on the other. The capital remains the heart of more traditional culture, derived from the meeting of country and city life. Vendors from the surrounding farms sell their wares in open markets, artisans transform traditional motifs into more modern designs, dance and music recall the rural past. In Santiago, you get all types, but always with a smile.
Gastronomy
Santiago reunites the very freshest products from all corners of Chile: lobsters from Robinson Crusoe Island, shellfish from Chilo, fruits and wines from the Central Valley, tropical fruit from the north and beef from the Lake Region. These products form the basis for a wonderful variety of quality restaurants, most of them at very reasonable prices and grouped in given areas: On the north bank of the river, the Bellavista neighborhood has attracted a number of very good, charming restaurants, set in an area with small theaters, art galleries and handicraft shops. Farther East, the El Bosque Norte neighborhood also has an array of outstanding restaurants, accompanied by elegant home decoration shops. Still farther East close to Casapiedra Convention Center you will find BordeRo with a number of fine dining restaurants, including Chilean, Peruvian, Italian, French and International food.
Shopping
Again, the keyword here is variety: shoppers in Santiago have the opportunity to purchase items ranging from traditional artisan’s baskets, ceramics and wooden carvings, to high fashion, fine leather goods and jewelry. One required stop is the Graneros del Alba market, situated next to Los Domnicos Church, where visitors can browse Chile’s finest collection of quality handicrafts. In the Bellavista district, numerous boutiques specialise in hard-carved works in lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone.
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SCCC |
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CLEI |
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USACH |
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