Iquique, Coastal port city in northern Tarapacá Region, Chile
Description
Iquique is a coastal port city in the Tarapacá Region of northern Chile, stretching between steep cliffs and flat sandy beaches along the Pacific Ocean. The city center sits between the sea and a high rocky wall that separates it from the inland desert.
History
The city belonged to Peru until 1883, when Chile annexed the territory during the War of the Pacific. The export of sodium nitrate made it one of the wealthiest ports in South America during the late 1800s.
Culture
The name comes from Aymara and means "place of rest" or "sleeping spot." Along the Paseo Baquedano promenade, old wooden houses with balconies from the nitrate era now serve as theaters, restaurants, and museums.
Practical
Most beaches run south of the port along Avenida Arturo Prat, which runs parallel to the coast. The city center is compact and easy to walk, with main sites within a few blocks of each other.
Did you know?
The Humberstone Saltpeter Works on the outskirts is a World Heritage Site showing abandoned houses, a theater, and a swimming pool from the mining era. The large pool was filled with heated seawater warmed by the heat from the industrial plants.
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Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works
37.4 km
La Tirana
53.5 km
Estadio Tierra de Campeones
3.8 km
Clock Tower
13 m
Santuario de la Naturaleza Cerro Dragón
6.9 km
Esmeralda
534 m
Escuela Domingo Santa María
687 m
Mall Zofri
1.8 km
Palacio Astoreca, Iquique
463 m
Municipal Theatre of Iquique
73 m
Plaza Arturo Prat
26 m
Mall Las Américas
2.3 km
Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Iquique
364 m
Aduana de Iquique
304 m
Museo Regional de Iquique
297 m
Dreams casinos
2.4 km
Museo Naval de Iquique
304 m
Casa Marinkovic
857 m
Salar de Pintados
57.4 km
Parroquia Convento San Antonio de Padua
1.1 km
Iquique lighthouses
1.6 km
Iglesia del Buen Pastor
1.6 km
Capilla del Hospital Dr. Ernesto Torres Galdames
1.5 km
Humberstone saltpeter works
37.4 km
Santa Laura saltpeter works
37.3 km
Paseo Baquedano
19 m
Edificio Sociedad Protectora de Empleados de Tarapacá
11 m
Capilla y glorieta del Hospital Dr. Ernesto Torres Galdames de Iquique
1.4 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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