La Serena, Colonial city in northern Chile
Description
La Serena is a coastal city in northern Chile that stretches between the Pacific Ocean and river valleys with gentle hills in the background. Several stone churches, wide avenues lined with palms and public squares with low buildings and pale facades define the central area near the sea.
History
Pedro de Valdivia founded the city in 1544 as a strategic base between Santiago and Peru. King Carlos I granted it official status in 1552, making it Chile's second-oldest city and a key point on the coastal route.
Culture
The name comes from La Serena de Extremadura in Spain, the founder's birthplace. Today the pale facades, arcades and flat roofs in the center recall that Mediterranean origin and shape the streetscape along the main avenues.
Practical
La Florida Airport lies east of the city with regular connections, while bus lines run along the coast north and south. Pedestrians find shaded arcades and benches in the squares downtown, offering shelter on sunny days.
Did you know?
The archaeological museum occupies a crescent-shaped building displaying pre-Columbian pottery and tools from the Elqui Valley. These objects document the lives of indigenous communities who lived in the dry coastal region centuries ago.
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Lighthouse of La Serena
2.2 km
Estadio La Portada
936 m
Mall Plaza La Serena
1.3 km
Our Lady of Mercy Cathedral, La Serena
104 m
Iglesia de San Francisco, La Serena
298 m
Casa Piñera
168 m
Casino de Coquimbo
6.2 km
Liceo Gabriela Mistral La Serena
613 m
Iglesia de Santo Domingo, La Serena
193 m
Parque Coll
1.4 km
Museo Arqueológico, La Serena
477 m
Casa Chadwick
230 m
Museo de Historia Regional
103 m
Edificio Isabel Bongard
1 km
Edificio de la Ilustre Municipalidad de La Serena
144 m
Fundición Lambert
2.6 km
Casa de Gabriela Mistral, Las Compañías
2.6 km
Casa Carmona
807 m
Las Palmeras
1.2 km
Iglesia de Santa Inés
502 m
Capilla del Hospital San Juan de Dios, La Serena
702 m
Edificio de la Intendencia de la Región de Coquimbo
95 m
Casa Herreros
161 m
Capilla, casa y claustro de la Divina Providencia (La Serena)
1.1 km
Casa de las Palmeras
1.2 km
Casa de la Providencia
1.1 km
Centro histórico de La Serena
1.1 km
Memorial de La Serena
313 mDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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