Chile is a country with a very colorful history. For the history buff Chile offers a lot of places that would indeed be very interesting to visit. To name a few here are some of the Top Historical Spots to Visit on your vacation in Chile.
The National History Museum and the National Natural History Museum are naturally the first places you can visit for a clear overview of the country’s history. The two museums focus on two very different aspects of Chile’s museum so that a visit to both would definitely not be redundant and indeed very educational. The National History Museum is where you would want to go for a chronological display of Chile’s history dating from pre-Columbian times. The National Natural History Museum on the other hand focuses on the development of the biological and cultural diversity of the country and its people. For more details on the museum kindly visit the Top Museums in Chile Section of this website.
Aside from museums going to the places where historical events are of course just as educational though the knowledge you would gain there is of course much more specific. Below is a short list of some of the popular historical sites and monuments you might enjoy visiting.
Easter Island – Describe as eerie, remote, haunting, and enigmatic this island is steeped with ancient history. You not only go here for a mere monument or a small building but for the entire island though the highlights of any visit here are the massive Moai statues and the still to be deciphered Rongorongo hieroglyphs. Called by the early Polynesian settlers “Te Pito O Te Henua” which means “navel of the world”, this is truly THE historical site to visit in Chile.
Seaport City of Valparaiso – Specifically the Historical Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaiso, the city portion has been declared a World Heritage Site for its historical legacy. The city gives us a glimpse of the globalization that came about in the late 19th century in Chile when the Seaport City became the leading merchant port on the sea routes of the Pacific coast of South America.
Churches in Chiloe – Visit the churches to see a very unique blend of European and indigenous architecture at its best.
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works – Listed as a Heritage Site in Danger the saltpeter mines in the province of Iquique are a unique historical site that gives us insight not only to the largest producers of saltpeter in the world but also distinctive cultures in the towns surrounding it that sprung up due to its existence.
Chile’s Various Monuments – Chile has historical monuments scattered all over the country and to name them all will be a folly. Instead spend a day sightseeing and visiting the monuments near the place you are staying for a historical day out. For a partial list of the notable monuments Chile please read the “What To Do on a First Vacation to Chile” Section of this site.