Viña de Cristo Palace

Viña de Cristo Palacete

At the beginning of the 19th century, Copiapó was the urban center for the northern national territory, resting at the gates of the Atacama Desert that separated Chile with Bolivia. In 1832, the area became very attractive due to the discovery of the Chañarcillo mineral, which not only brough more products and capital to the country as a whole but caused a growing population of migrants from other parts of the Chile. In addition, the discovery of new silver and copper deposits in the area made Copiapó the most important mining enclave of the time.

As a result of the economic boom, several public and private buildings were erected that brought an air of elegance and modernity to the city. One of these buildings was the Viña de Cristo. The Palace, considered the most elegant of the time in Copiapó, was the residence of Mr. Apolinario Soto, owner of Tres Puntas Silver Mine. It was built in 1860 with imported materials using a mixture of styles including Georgian elements from southern United States and Italian neoclassic features. The original building had two lateral wings surrounded by Doric columns and an upper central viewpoint. The construction was made in Oregon pine and partition walls of Ecuadorian Guayaquil and mud canes. The interior was decorated with ornaments and furniture imported also from the United States. In 1950, the State of Chile bought the property and in 1953 was assigned as the headquarters of the Escuela Normal Rómulo Peña de Copiapó 1973. Since then, it has become a permanent property of University of Atacama's.

 

Viña de Cristo Palace, University of Atacama