Valparaíso

Valparaíso (literally in Spanish: Valle Paraíso (Paradise Valley) and also called "Valpo" locally) (Mapudungun Aliamapu or burned land) is a city in central Chile and one of that country's most important seaports and an increasingly vital cultural center in the hemisphere's Pacific Southwest. The city is the capital of the Region of Valparaíso. Although Santiago is Chile's official capital, Valparaiso houses the National Congress. Valparaíso play... more

Valparaíso (literally in Spanish: Valle Paraíso (Paradise Valley) and also called "Valpo" locally) (Mapudungun Aliamapu or burned land) is a city in central Chile and one of that country's most important seaports and an increasingly vital cultural center in the hemisphere's Pacific Southwest. The city is the capital of the Region of Valparaíso. Although Santiago is Chile's official capital, Valparaiso houses the National Congress. Valparaíso played an important geopolitical role in the second half of the 19th century, when the city served as a major stopover for ships traveling between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by crossing the Straits of Magellan. Always a magnet for European immigrants, Valparaíso mushroomed during its golden age, when the city was known by international sailors as “Little San Francisco” or “The Jewel of the Pacific.” Examples of Valparaíso’s former glory include Latin America’s oldest stock exchange, the continent’s first volunteer fire department, Chile’s... less