Chile is a country of diverse geography, culture and people and today is home to seven places considered World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, either for their historical, natural or cultural importance. We invite you to a tour of these incredible places.
1.- Inca Trail: Qhapac Ñan
Named World Heritage in 2014, this millenary route was part of a system of roads at the time of the Inca civilization that passes through 6 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. In our country it has 4 sections, one in Arica, two in Antofagasta and one in Atacama.
This trail is a living proof of the Inca culture, the traces of the time that are found in the place account for the use of the area for commercial traffic.
Come and visit this ancient place that is part of a global culture, immersed in an arid circuit with typical vegetation of the place, will captivate you with its historical potential.
2.- Mining City of Sewell
East of the city of Rancagua, in the pre-mountain range between ravines and covered with snow in winter, is "the city of stairs", which was born as the home of the workers of El Teniente, the largest subway copper mine in the world in 1905.
Today it is a picturesque and colorful village in the mountains, which is structured around a central staircase that starts from the railway station, all this on a steep slope, which made necessary the construction of stairs, hence its name.
It turns out to be a must when visiting Chile, as you will not find one like it and is one of the most symbolic settlements for the country.
In 300 A.D. a Polynesian community created magnificent and imposing sculptures known as the Moai, which are located on the most remote island on the planet: Easter Island. Its charms are endless, pink sand beaches, volcanoes, meadows to walk or horseback ride, caves to explore and one of the best places to dive in Chile.
Need more reasons to make up your mind? This is undoubtedly one of the best destinations in Chile, which has a special mystique not found anywhere else.
4.- Historic District of Valparaíso
This picturesque place refers to the typical architecture of the late nineteenth century, along with a Spanish colonial mix, to this it owes much of its popularity. Between slopes and stairs, this historic place is located in Cerro Alegre. Of streets with panoramic views towards the sea, which makes touring it very pleasant.
This "amphitheater" overlooking the Pacific, has a large number of buildings of remarkable architecture, such as: La Matriz Church, El Reloj Turri, Edificio El Mercurio and the Museo de Bellas Artes.
5.- Humberstone and Santa Laura saltpeter offices.
In this place full of history in the Pampa del Tamarugal, thousands of saltpeter workers lived there since 1880, where they forged their own identity. In these places we can appreciate the vestiges of times of wealth in the area and learn about the history of the country.
Inside there are iconic places that you can not miss, such as the pulpería, the theater or the church, areas that are impressive for their strong heritage of the past. It has 3 circuits for the visitor, in the first one you will tour the infrastructure of the place and you will understand how they lived in the camp, in the second, you can learn about the machinery of the time and the technology they used to produce saltpeter and in the third, you can learn about the process of saltpeter extraction, thus having a complete tour so you do not miss anything of this experience.
Churches of Chiloé
Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, there are 16 churches in Chiloé. churches in Chiloé that fall into this category. All of them have a similar rustic and country architecture, which gives the place where they are located an immediate plus.
All immersed in natural landscapes of high impact, among forests, meadows and by the sea, each one has a different charm.
7.- Chinchorro Culture Settlements
Characterized for being marine hunter-gatherers who settled and inhabited the coast of the Atacama Desert, the Chinchorro Culture inhabited the northern coast of Chile more than 7 thousand years ago. Today, the settlements they left behind have become a World Heritage Site, after being selected by UNESCO in 2021.
One of the most striking elements of this culture has been the way in which they buried their dead, through a method of mummification that has proven to be older than that of Egyptian mummies. Evidence indicates that over time they perfected complex mortuary practices to create "artificial" mummies that possessed material, sculptural and aesthetic qualities that presumably reflected the fundamental role of the dead in their society.
Learn more about the Chinchorro culture here .
Source: www.chileestuyo.cl