Las Palmeras, national monument of Chile
Las Palmeras is a residential building constructed in the 1920s in La Serena, characterized by its neoclassical architecture with fine wooden details and decorative molding. The house features an attractive facade with columns and ornamental windows, while its large courtyard shelters two old Canary palm trees that create a shaded garden space.
The house was built in the 1920s when Anglo-Saxon influenced architecture shaped the city's development from the previous century. It was declared a National Monument in 1990 and restored to preserve the stories of its inhabitants and the region's past.
The house was closely connected to Gabriela Mistral, an important Chilean writer who saw it as a place to build her vision for education and social reform. Visitors can sense her influence through the displayed objects and photographs that tell the story of her life and commitment to helping poor children.
The site is easy to reach from downtown La Serena by foot or a short trip and welcomes visitors during regular hours. The house functions as a museum with rooms that recreate daily life from the 1920s, and staff can guide visitors through the original spaces and explain the displayed objects and photographs.
The two Canary Island palm trees in the courtyard are distinctive specimens that originate from the Atlantic islands and have stood on this spot since the 1920s. Gabriela Mistral mentioned these trees in her writings as a source of calm and reflection, making them silent witnesses to her time at the house.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
