Viña del Mar ( meaning “Vineyard of the Sea”) is a city and commune on central Chile‘s Pacific coast. Often referred to as La Ciudad Jardín (“The Garden City”), Viña del Mar is located within the Valparaíso Region, and it is Chile’s fourth largest city with a population of 324,836 (according to the 2008 census). Viña del Mar is also part of the Greater Valparaíso area, the country’s second largest metropolitan area (pop. 935,602, 2017 census), after the Metropolitan area of Santiago. The Greater Valparaíso Area is home to five municipalities: Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Concon, Quilpue and Villa Alemana.
The valley where Viña del Mar was founded was known as the valley of Peuco by the Changos, native inhabitants of the area dedicated to fishing. With the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores the valley was divided into two large haciendas. North of the Marga Marga creek up to the current location of Reñaca, Viña del Mar, and to the south up to the current Cerro Barón (Baron Hill), the Hacienda Las Siete Hermanas (The Seven Sisters).
Francisco Javier Alvares authorized the construction of a railroad through his lands to join Santiago and the port of Valparaíso. The arrival of the railroad brought a young engineer Jose Francisco Vergara who married Francisco Javier Alvares’s granddaughter, Mercedes Alvares. It was José Francisco Vergara who instigated the idea of the creation of a new city independent of Valparaíso.
Visitors and locals enjoy the parks and water fountains of the city, including a large flower clock (Reloj de Flores) with its numbers made up of flowering plants, near Caleta Abarca beach. The Valparaiso Sporting Club horse racing track is another major landmark. Jardín Botánico or Parque del Salitre, a large botanical garden on the outskirts of the city, was originally designed and built by an entrepreneur who became wealthy from exploiting saltpeter resources in northern Chile. A few buildings from the 19th century still remain after multiple earthquakes that have destroyed most of the old areas of the city. Most of the older buildings that remain are located along Avenida Libertad (Liberty Avenue), Quillota Street and Quinta Vergara, a large park in the middle of the city. The presidential summer residence, Palacio Presidencial (Presidential Palace) is located on Cerro Castillo (Castle Hill). The city’s casino was designed in art deco style and is surrounded by well-tended gardens (hence the city’s nickname). In 2004, a hotel (Hotel del Mar) was added to the 1931s building, resembling the architectural features of the original building.
Numerous bars and restaurants have recently opened in the area around Plaza México and Avenida San Martín, offering Chilean and international cuisine. Seafood restaurants are located on the Camino Costero (Coast Roadway) that joins Viña del Mar and Concón, a coastal town to the north. The Yacht Club de Chile is a yacht club located in Caleta Higuerillas. This club was established in Viña del Mar in 1955, though it is now part of the Concón municipality. The VTR Open was a professional men’s tennis tournament played yearly on outdoor red clay courts at the Club Naval de Campo Las Salinas. The Viña del Mar International Film Festival is considered among the most important film festivals in Chile and Latin America. Another important event is the Viña del Mar International Song Festival, held at the amphitheater located in the Quinta Vergara, one of the largest green areas of the city. The amphitheater of the Quinta Vergara was built in the 1960s. There is also the Palacio Vergara, home to Viña’s fine arts museum. The Municipal Theatre of Viña del Mar, located in front of Plaza de Viña, is a center of cultural and artistic events of first importance in Chile. In the neighboring block is also the traditional and elegant Club de Viña, with its classical facade. The Museum of Naval Canons is an outdoor museum, located on the road Jorge Montt (connecting Viña del Mar with the beaches of Las Salinas and Reñaca), whose beach exhibits several pieces of artillery in front of the facilities of the Chilean Navy. The Fonk Museum,founded in 1937, is a varied and complete museum that shows objects from native villages from cultures such as Rapanui, atacameños, Diaguitas and Mapuches, in addition to a wide collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian jars. In the area of natural sciences there is a sample of arthropods and animals of different zones of the country.
Viña del Mar, along with the rest of the coastal municipalities of Greater Valparaíso, is part of the tourist area of the country, which has resulted in large dividends paid by this industry each year to the community. Viña del Mar has a wide range of hotels and has upgraded its infrastructure to improve its tourist appeal. An important place is the Casino de Viña del Mar, which opened in 1930 and for years was one of the few casinos in Chile. The casino also houses the Hotel del Mar. With the introduction of the Gambling Casinos Act, which resulted in increased competition, viñamarino enclosure has suffered great economic losses, thus affecting the municipal coffers. The industrial district of Viña del Mar is called El Salto. It is located in the place where the Estero Marga MargaDelta begins to appear. They give access to the metro and the South Trunk Highway. Viña del Mar has the largest number of businesses in the city of Valparaíso, which, along with other areas of Santiago, is becoming a favorite for business to establish investment locations. Forbes also considered one of the most exclusive resorts in Latin America, the level of Punta del Este in Uruguay, Pucón in southern Chile and Mar del Plata in Argentina. Currently performed one of the most important events in Hispanic America haute couture, together with those of Buenos Aires, Santiago, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro.
