Valparaíso, The Cultural Port Of Chile

Valparaíso is one of the most important cities in Chile. It is the second most populated city, after Santiago de Chile, and is also considered the country’s cultural port. Join us and discover with us this wonderful and cultural city, which we are sure will make you fall in love, do you dare?

Valparaíso: a cultural city

Valparaíso is, as we have pointed out, one of the most important cities in the country due to its great value and cultural contribution to the rest of the world. It is considered the cultural port of Chile, and even its shape and geographical location evoke a natural amphitheater located in the bay and which, in turn, is surrounded by beautiful hills.

In 2003 Unesco declared the historic center of the city as a World Heritage Site, due to its spectacular and very well cared for architecture developed at the end of the 19th century. After the Rapa Nui National Park and the 16 churches of Chiloé, the historic center of Valparaíso thus became the third place in the country to achieve this recognition.

The history of Valparaíso

Before the Spanish conquerors arrived in what we now know as Valparaíso, this land was dominated by the monkeys, that is, by fishing workers who moved from one place to another according to their needs.

It was in the year 1536 when the Spanish conquerors, led by Juan de Saavedra, discovered this land. When the ship they were traveling on finally reached the shores of Quintil Bay, Saavedra decided to rename the place Valparaíso, in honor of his hometown in Europe.

After the founding of Santiago de la Nueva Extremadura in 1541, Valparaíso was formally designated as its natural port in 1544. For many years it remained a port town that seemed more like a ghost town, because it was inhabited very sporadically. The reasons? The continuous attacks by pirates and suffered natural disasters, such as strong earthquakes and tsunamis.

Practically everything that exists today in Valparaíso was built after the country’s independence. Before that event, there were only a few houses, a church, and a pier.

Valparaíso: the cultural port of Chile

The large number of cultural expressions that can be found in Valparaíso have earned it the well-deserved title of being the cultural port of the country. Theaters, museums, cinema, photography, dance, music … the cultural billboard that this city offers is simply overwhelming.

In a framework better known as a unique geographical-heritage site, we can find art galleries, the Cultural Park, the Fine Arts museums in the Barburizza Palace, the Maritime Palace, the Natural History Museum, the Villa Victoria heritage center and many more.

One of the most important cultural events that we can enjoy in Valparaíso is known as “Puerto de Ideas”, a festival that stands out for the wide variety of topics it deals with, as well as for the important guests, both national and international who they usually attend.

Numerous festivals of almost all the arts are always present in this city. Music, from classical through modern to sacred and popular, also plays an important role in the life of this magnificent city. Dance, photography, cinema, libraries, theaters and any activity that adds something more to the culture will always be present here.

Valparaíso is an ideal city for lovers of culture. We can guarantee that you will not get bored, here there is always something to do, somewhere to know or a work to see. Besides that, if you are passionate about history, you will love knowing its perfectly preserved historic center.

The city falls in love with locals and tourists. The people are very friendly, the gastronomy is exquisite and varied for all tastes, it has absolutely beautiful landscapes, and most importantly, it is the most important cultural port in the country and probably one of the most emblematic in the world.

So now you know, are you looking for an exciting place full of history and a lot of culture? Valparaíso should be your next destination.