Animita de Romualdito

Animita de Romualdito is a shrine near Estación Central in Santiago featuring a dark wall with small house-shaped structures and numerous memorial plaques. The surface is covered with messages from visitors seeking spiritual help.

Romualdo Ivani Zambelli, a Chilean mechanic of Italian descent, died at this location during a robbery in 1933. The shrine was later built by devotees to preserve his memory.

This shrine represents the Chilean tradition of animitas, small structures built at locations where people died tragically. Visitors leave prayers and thank-you notes as signs of devotion to the deceased Romualdito.

The shrine sits on San Borja Street near Bernardo O'Higgins Avenue and is easy to reach. Visitors can stop by at any time to leave prayers or simply view this place of worship.

During renovations at Estación Central, officials chose to preserve the shrine's original wall instead of demolishing it. This decision shows how local spiritual sites gain recognition alongside modern urban development.

GPS coordinates: -33.45192,-70.68024

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:45