The World Heritage Sites visited in Chile 2010 / 2011

Site No. 971 Churches of Chiloé
The Churches of Chiloé are the manifestation of the mixture between the indigenous culture and the traditions brought to the island and its archipelago by Jesuit missions in the 17th and 18th centuries. The wooden character of the different examples shows a wonderful realisation of skilful craftsmanship. The Mestizo culture still is alive today and can be experienced throughout the island. The soft landscape, the small villages, the rugged coastline and the friendly people give this place a beautiful touch. We really enjoyed our time in searching for most of the churches.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 1214 Sewell Mining Town
Sewell is a very special place high up in the Andes, where in the beginning of the 20th century a miner's work village was founded. Working in the "El Teniente" mine they were completely separated from Civilisation. There was no road to the valley, only a railway connected them to the outer world. Therefore they developed a unique form of settlement and culture, an extraordinary example of the fusion of local labour and resources from an industrialized nation. We already were booked on a tour, when we got the bad news, that all tours are cancelled because of a protest by external companies, asking for more money. As this situation did not change for a month, we decided not to wait that long. Although the tour is expensive, it seems to be well worth a visit. The pictures are courtesy of the Sewell Foundation, with the friendly permission of Director Felipe Ravinet de la Fuente.		Impression:    Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing:
Site No. 959rev Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso
Valparaiso is a vibrant city. Interesting, dark, dangerous and colourful. The layout, with the hillside around, the elevators dating back from the beginning of the 20th century, and the contrast between rich and poor is quite unique. It's a harbour town, which became the most important port in Latin America by the end of the 19th century. The industrialization left their traces not only in the elevators, but also in the building fabric. The streets with their un-geometrical layout contrast extremely to chess-like Spanish design in all other cities. Hold on to your camera, otherwise it will be gone.		Impression:  Accessibility:  Crowded:  Pricing: