View from Cerro Santa Lucia

The architecture of Santiago is striking, and we enjoyed just strolling around the different neighborhoods, whether we knew what we were looking for or not. You can find everything from 19th century neoclassical at the center, mixed in with neo-gothic, art deco, modern, futuristic and other styles in different areas. The center of the city, is the Plaza de Armas.  the Metropolitan Cathedral of Santiago, Central Post Office Building, Palacio de la Real Audiencia de Santiago.  It’s a good place for people watching, and always bustling with activity, some restaurants and shops. One interesting sculpture here is a monument to the Mapuche, Chile’s largest indigenous group. The museums of Santiago were open today, and we took advantage.

First we visited the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, filled with artifacts, pottery, weaving, metal-works, etc. from cultures throughout Central and South America. (NOTE July 2013–the museum is currently closed, for renovation, scheduled to reopen at the end of 2013.) The highlight for us was an exhibit about ancient fishermen along the coast of Chile and north.  At the end, some Chinchorro mummies were displayed, dating a few thousand years older than their Egyptian counterparts.  They can tell from the bones that the diet of the adults (there were also children, babies and fetuses) was 90% seafood.   They think everyone in this ancient culture of fisherfolk was mummified in this way, regardless of social status, age or gender.  The process was really interesting to learn about, and something we didn’t know anything about beforehand. The Museum of Chilean National History is located nearby. The other museum we visited was the Museum of Santiago, which is housed in Casa Colorada (built 1769), a National Monument that has served many purposes over the years, and was the place the Chilean Declaration of Independence was signed in 1810. The museum itself wasn’t much to speak of, but the architecture and feel of the building was worth the less-than-a-dollar entrance fee.

The Mercado Central (Central Market) isn’t far, and this is the spot to hit for some seafood. Some of the restaurants are as touristy as would be expected, but you can certainly find some deals as well.  Rows and rows of stalls sell fish, shellfish and many other unidentifiable (to us) creatures of the sea. It’s sloppy, and stinky and wonderful. The architecture here is of interest as well. The Parque Forestal runs parallel to the Mapocho River, a nice place for a walk and to catch some green in the midst of the urban sprawl.