VALPARAÍSO MANKIND HERITAGE

There are many travellers, personalities and many tourists and visitors that have said that Valparaíso is a unique city.

From de begining it has bin shaped by its double condition of important port and city open to the world. This city had a particular development, achieving great fame as a bohemic and cosmopolitan city, with high cultural and artistic activity; host of important universities, with times of great economical activity, being the first to adopt and utilize emerging technologies. All these meant to be the place of important migrations spontaneously located on its hills, where the highest concentration of population is located.

Valparaíso is placed on meridian 33,5 south, it shows a mediterranean climate,  enjoyed by its 300.000 inhabitants.  It is on central Chile, besides the Pacific Ocean and 120 Km northwest from Santiago, Chile’s capital city.

Valparaíso is considered the first Port of Chile.  In the plain area besides the bay, shops, financial center, offices and old homes can be found, while residential neibourghood are located on the stiff hills  sourrounding the city.  Currently  Valparaíso is the bussines and management center of the Vth Region of Chile and it is the work place of many people of neighbour towns. It is also the place where the National Parliament is located and an important universitary cluster. 

The city mixes present and the past. Shaped as an amphitheatre, it is located on a wide bay sourrounded by high hills where colorfull houses are distributed, raising on streets and passages, that can be reached  through endless stairs and tall elevators.  Today, this architectural heritage is mankind heritage.  
On July 2, 2003 the Executive Committee of United Nations Organization for the Education, the Culture and the Science, UNESCO, unanimously  voted Valparaíso as  Mankind Cultural Heritage.