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The city's second oldest church features beautiful colonial religious artwork, including Cristo de Mayo, a statue of Jesus. The thorn crown fell off during an earthquake and legend has that if someone tries to put the thorn crown back on Christ's head, a new earthquake will strike.
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Historical performance venue, including international dance and opera, worth a visit even if just from its outside.
This colonial building functioned as the seat of the first Chilean leader after independence. It was closed for 14 years due to earthquake damage but has opened once again in 2024. It holds a museum of Santiago's history.
The oldest church in the city. In the plaza, in front of the church, there is a Moaï from Easter Island.
Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino
The well put-together Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art houses various artefacts from Mesoamerica and South America, featuring cultures such as the Olmec, Maya, and Inca civilizations. Descriptions of the artefacts and the ancients' way of life are well-written in both English and Spanish. Highlights include a Mayan stone stele and Andean mummies, which precede their Egyptian counterparts.
The national library was built in the early 20th century near Cerro Santa Lucía. Here you can find archives of all Chilean newspapers and some foreign ones, map and photo archives and an exhibition hall.
The capital's main plaza, also the site of the national cathedral and main post office. It's few blocks from the traditional Central Market and has its own Metro Station. During the last years, Plaza de Armas has been used as a meeting and recreation place for the community of Peruvian immigrants. This has led to lots of cheap international calling centers, traditional Peruvian restaurants and Peruvian spice and food stores, being an interesting place to walk during day hours.