Portal Fernández Concha, Commercial building at Plaza de Armas, Santiago, Chile
Portal Fernández Concha is a seven-story Neoclassical building at Plaza de Armas with an arcaded ground floor containing shops and restaurants. A passage runs through the ground level, linking this structure to other areas of Santiago.
Built in 1871, it replaced the earlier Portal Sierra Bella structure at this location. A British architect designed it with financial backing from the Fernández Concha brothers.
The upper floors house artists, retirees, and entrepreneurs in apartments, showing how living patterns in Santiago have shifted over time. You can observe the building serving as a real community space where different generations and professions coexist.
The ground floor arcade offers numerous shops and restaurants and connects directly to the Plaza de Armas metro station. The location makes it easy to explore this area when you visit the city center.
The Pasaje Matte running through the ground floor was designed by a French architect and once held only French shops. This passage offers a glimpse of a different era when international commerce shaped the local marketplace.
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