Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso, World Heritage Site in Chile

Registration Classificationcultural heritage
Registration Criteria(3)
Year of registration2003

120km west of Chile’s capital, Santiago de Chile, this port city facing the Pacific Ocean retains many beautiful architectural features of the late 19th century. The city is like an amphitheater along the harbor, and its hillside is lined with colorful houses and dotted with church steeples, making for a unique townscape. Another point to appreciate is that the deeply historical infrastructure, such as the elevator that goes up and down the hillside, has been well preserved.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains in simple terms why the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso is a World Heritage Site. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Valparaíso!

TOC

What is the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso?

Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
Image by shutterstock

Located in central Chile on the Pacific coast, Valparaiso was a prosperous port city in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.In terms of location, the city was on the route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean via the Strait of Magellan, and served as a transit point.

Originally a small village, it quickly expanded when the city was founded in 1818. However, after the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, the number of ships using the area decreased and the city declined. However, the industrial legacy of those days still remains today, and the city was a pioneer in globalization that brought together various ethnic and racial groups.

Ascensore/Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
Image material: shutterstock

The city of Valparaiso has a special structure, with a mortar-like topography facing the sea, and colorful buildings were built along the slope. The slopes radiate out from the harbor, creating an amphitheater-like structure. The most famous of these is Santo Domingo Hill, and a church that was built in the 16th century remains at the top.Because Valparaiso has many steep inclines, 16 “Ascensore,” or inclined elevators, were built, and a station was installed at the top of the hill, creating a unique landscape.

Another important point is that, as a port town, many immigrants lived in the city. Compared to other South American cities, Valparaiso has a more cosmopolitan flavor, and a variety of architectural styles were adopted, and the colorful buildings that remain in the city can be said to be the identity of Valparaiso. The city’s society, which had been primarily Spanish and indigenous, underwent a radical transformation, and immigrants’ impact on education, newspapers, sports, and many other aspects of the city’s life.

For what reason is the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso on the World Heritage List?

Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
Image material: shutterstock

Valparaiso was recognized for the following

Registration Criteria (iii)
The fact that it was a major port city in South America and a city where globalization was already visible in various parts of the country in the late 19th century.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Impressions

There are cities in South America that are a mixture of many different cultures, but this one has a particularly strong multinational atmosphere. The colorful houses lining the hills look like African houses even though they are in South America, and there are also magnificent facades like European church architecture…globalization indeed.

By the way, the oldest simple cable car, the Ascensore, was built in 1855.It is still in operation today, and since the world’s first cable car was installed in San Francisco in 1873, Valparaiso has long been a city with cutting-edge technology.

*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.

If you like this article, please
Like or Follow !

Author of this article

世界遺産一筋20年以上!遺跡を求めて世界を縦横無尽で駆け抜ける、生粋の世界遺産マニアです。そんな「世界遺産マニア」が運営するこちらのサイトは1200以上もある遺産の徹底紹介からおもしろネタまで語り尽くすサイト。世界遺産検定マイスター認定済。

TOC