Cerro San Cristóbal, Hill summit in Santiago, Chile
Cerro San Cristóbal rises to 880 meters above sea level and forms the third highest summit in the city of Santiago, after Cerro Manquehue and Cerro Renca. From up there, a wide view opens across the cityscape towards the Andes to the east.
The Spanish conqueror Pedro de Valdivia changed the original Mapuche name Tupahue during the colonial period to Cerro San Cristóbal in honor of Saint Christopher. Over the centuries, the elevation evolved from a bare lookout point into a recreation area near the city with several facilities.
The summit carries a 14-meter-tall statue of the Virgin Mary, which served as the site for a papal blessing over the city during a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1987. Pilgrims and visitors come here to pause before the sculpture or take in the view over the metropolis.
Visitors reach the top through a roughly 45-minute hike, by the Funicular de Santiago cable railway, via a cable car, or by car. The walk on foot passes through shady and sunny sections, so water and comfortable footwear are recommended.
The hill contains two municipal swimming pools named Tupahue and Antilén, which attract many locals especially in summer. At the base lie the Chilean National Zoo and a Japanese garden, both of which can be visited separately from the summit area.
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