Aduana El Manzano, Historical customs checkpoint in San José de Maipo, Chile.
Aduana El Manzano is a former customs checkpoint featuring an L-shaped design with wooden interconnected rooms arranged for border control operations at an Andes crossing. The structure still stands along Route G25 heading toward El Volcán.
Originally a manor house of the El Manzano estate, the building became a customs control point from 1870 known as Aduana Portillo del Maipo. It served this function until 1973, marking over a century of border operations at this mountain location.
The building shows how Chile managed border control across mountain routes, connecting passages to the Piuquenes and Cruz de Piedra passes. Visitors can see why such checkpoints mattered for linking different regions.
The site is easily accessible from Route G25 while traveling toward the El Volcán valley area. It makes for a convenient stop on mountain excursions where visitors can explore the building complex at their own pace.
The customs complex contains much more than just the main customs building - it also includes a chapel and a railway station as part of a single architectural ensemble. These additional structures reveal how significant this location was as a transport hub.
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