📰 Santiago · page 2

With the end of the war, Bernardo O'Higgins was accepted as Supreme Director and, like his father, undertook several important projects for the city.71 During the Patria Nueva era, previously closed institutions were reopened.72 The General Cemetery was inaugurated, work on the San Carlos Canal was completed, and the drying riverbed in the south arm of the Mapocho River, known as La Cañada, which had been used as a landfill for some time, was transformed into an avenue now known as the Alameda de las Delicias.73

Two earthquakes struck the city in the 19th century: one on November 19, 1822, and another on February 20, 1835.74 Despite these disasters, the city continued to grow rapidly.75 In 1820, the population was recorded as 46,000, but by 1854, it had risen to 69,018.76 By 1865, the census reported 115,337 residents.77 This significant increase was due to suburban expansion to the south and west of the capital, as well as the growth of the bustling district of La Chimba, which resulted from the division of old properties in the area.78 This new peripheral development marked the end of the previous checkerboard structure that had dominated the city center.79

19th century

During the Republican era, several institutions were founded, including the University of Chile, the Normal School of Preceptors, the School of Arts and Crafts, and the Quinta Normal.80 The latter comprised the Museum of Fine Arts (now the Museum of Science and Technology) and the National Museum of Natural History.81 These institutions were established primarily for educational purposes, but also served as examples of public planning during that period.82 In 1851, the first telegraph system connecting the capital to the Port of Valparaíso was inaugurated.[13]83

During the "Liberal Republic" and the administration of Mayor Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna, a new phase in the urban development of the capital was initiated.84 One of the main projects during this period was the remodeling of Cerro Santa Lucía, which had fallen into disrepair despite its central location.[13]85 In his effort to transform Santiago, Vicuña Mackenna initiated the construction of the Camino de Cintura, a road surrounding the entire city.86 The redevelopment of Alameda Avenue also took place during this time, turning it into the city's main road.87

Also during this era, O'Higgins Park was established with the help of European landscapers in 1873.88 The public park, known for its large gardens, lakes, and carriage trails, became a landmark in Santiago.89 Other notable structures were also opened during this period, including the Teatro Municipal opera house and the Club Hípico de Santiago.90 In addition, the 1875 International Exposition was held in the Quinta Normal grounds.[14]91

Santiago emerged as the central hub of the national railway system.92 On 14 September 1857, the first railway arrived in the city and terminated at the Santiago Estación Central railway station, which was under construction at the time and officially opened in 1884.93 During this period, rail lines connected Santiago to Valparaíso and regions in northern and southern Chile.94 The streets of Santiago were also paved, and by 1875, there were 1,107 railway cars in the city, while 45,000 people used trams daily.95

The centennial Santiago

As the new century began, Santiago underwent various changes due to the rapid growth of industry.96 Valparaíso, which had previously been the economic center of the country, gradually lost its prominence to the capital.97 By 1895, 75% of the national manufacturing industry was located in Santiago, while only 28% was in Valparaíso.98 By 1910, major banks and shops had established themselves in the central streets of Santiago, further diminishing the role of Valparaíso.99

The enactment of the Autonomous Municipalities Act empowered municipalities to establish various administrative divisions within the Santiago department, with the goal of enhancing local governance.100 In 1891, the municipalities of Maipú, Ñuñoa, Renca, Lampa, and Colina were created, followed by Providencia and Barrancas in 1897, and Las Condes in 1901.101 The La Victoria departmento was also divided, leading to the creation of Lo Cañas in 1891, which was then further split into La Granja and Puente Alto in 1892, followed by La Florida in 1899, and La Cisterna in 1925.102

The San Cristobal Hill underwent a prolonged process of development during this period.103 In 1903, an astronomical observatory was established on the hill, and the following year, construction began on a 14 m statue of the Virgin Mary.104 Today, the statue is visible from various points in the city.105 However, the shrine was not completed until several decades later.106

The 1910 Chile Centennial celebrations marked the beginning of several urban development projects.107 The railway network was expanded, connecting the city and its growing suburbs with a new ring and route to Cajón del Maipo.108 A new railway station was also built in the north of the city: the Mapocho Station.109 The Parque Forestal was established on the southern side of the Mapocho river, and new buildings such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Barros Arana public boarding school, and the National Library were opened.110 In addition, a sewer system was installed, serving approximately 85% of the city's population.111

Population explosion

The 1920 census estimated the population of Santiago to be 507,296 inhabitants, equivalent to 13.6% of the total population of Chile.112 This represented a growth of 52.5% from the 1907 census, an annual increase of 3.3%, which was almost three times the national average.113 This growth was mainly due to an influx of farmers from the southern regions who came to work in the factories and railroads that were being built.114 However, this growth was concentrated in the suburbs and not downtown.115

During this time, the downtown district consolidated as a commercial, financial, and administrative center, with the establishment of various shops and businesses around Ahumada Street and a Civic District in the vicinity of the Palace of La Moneda.116 The latter project involved the construction of modernist buildings for the offices of the ministries and other public services, as well as the start of the construction of medium-rise buildings.117 Meanwhile, the traditional residents of the center began to migrate to more rural areas like Providencia and Ñuñoa, which attracted the oligarchy and European immigrant professionals, and San Miguel for middle-class families.118 Additionally, in the periphery, villas were built by various organizations of the time.119 Modernity also spread in the city, with the introduction of the first theaters, the expansion of the telephone network, and the opening of Los Cerrillos Airport in 1928, among other advancements.120

The perception that the early 20th century was a time of economic prosperity due to technological advancements was in stark contrast to the living conditions of lower social classes.121 The previous decades of growth resulted in an unprecedented population boom starting in 1929, but was met with tragedy as the Great Depression hit.122 The collapse of the nitrate industry in the north left 60,000 people unemployed, compounded by a decline in agricultural exports, resulting in an estimated 300,000 unemployed people nationwide.123 Desperate for survival, many migrants flocked to Santiago and its thriving industry.124 However, they often found themselves struggling to find housing, with many being forced to live on the streets.125 The harsh living conditions resulted in widespread diseases like tuberculosis, and took a toll on the homeless population.126 At the same time, unemployment rates and living costs skyrocketed, while the salaries of the people in Santiago fell.127

The situation would change several years later with a new industrial boom fostered by CORFO and the expansion of the state apparatus from the late 1930s.128 At this time, the aristocracy lost much of its power, and the middle class, composed of merchants, bureaucrats, and professionals, acquired the role of setting national policy.129 In this context, Santiago began to develop a substantial middle- and lower-class population, while the upper classes sought refuge in the districts of the capital.130 Thus, the old moneyed class, who previously frequented Cousiño and Alameda Park, lost their hegemony over popular entertainment venues, and the National Stadium emerged in 1938.131

Greater Santiago

Relative growth of Santiago, by communes[15]132

In the following decades, Santiago continued to grow at an unprecedented rate.133 In 1940, the city had a population of 952,075 residents, which increased to 1,350,409 by 1952, and reached 1,907,378 in the 1960 census.134 This growth was reflected in the urbanization of rural areas on the outskirts of the city, where middle and lower-class families with stable housing were established.135 In 1930, the urban area covered 6,500 hectares, which increased to 20,900 in 1960 and to 38,296 in 1980.136 Although growth was mainly concentrated in communities such as Barrancas to the west, Conchalí to the north, and La Cisterna and La Granja to the south, the center of the city lost population, leaving more space for commercial, banking, and government development.137 The upper class, on the other hand, began to settle in the foothills of Las Condes and the La Reina sector.138

The regulation of growth in Santiago only began in the 1960s with the creation of various development plans for Greater Santiago, a concept that reflected the city's new reality as a much larger urban center.139 In 1958, the Intercommunal Plan of Santiago was released, which proposed a limit of 38,600 urban and semi-urban hectares for a maximum population of 3,260,000 residents.140 The plan also included plans for the construction of new avenues, such as the Américo Vespucio Avenue and Panamericana Route 5, as well as the expansion of 'industrial belts'.141 The 1962 World Cup provided a new impetus for city improvement efforts, and in 1966, the Santiago Metropolitan Park was established on Cerro San Cristóbal.142 The Ministry of Housing and Urbanism (MINVU) also began to eradicate shantytowns and build new homes.143 Finally, the Edificio Diego Portales was constructed in 1972.144

In 1967, the new Pudahuel International Airport was opened, and after years of discussion, construction of the Santiago Metro began in 1969.145 The first phase of the Metro, which ran beneath the western section of Alameda, was opened in 1975 and soon became one of the most prestigious buildings in the city.146 Over the following years, the Metro continued to expand, with two perpendicular lines in place by the end of 1978.147 Building telecommunications infrastructure was also an important development of this period, as reflected in the construction of the Torre Entel, which, since its construction in 1975, has become one of the symbols of the capital and remained the tallest structure in the country for two decades.148

After the military coup of 1973 and the establishment of the military regime, significant changes in urban planning did not occur until the 1980s when the government embraced a neoliberal economic model.149 In 1979, the master plan was revised, expanding the urban area to over 62,000 hectares for real estate development.150 This led to urban sprawl, particularly in La Florida, causing the city to reach 40,619 hectares in size in the early 1990s.151 According to the 1992 census, Santiago became the country's most populous municipality, with 328,881 residents.152

On 21 March 1981, a fire in the Torre Santa María killed 11 people.153

A powerful earthquake struck the city on 3 March 1985, causing minimal casualties but leaving many homeless and destroying numerous historic buildings.154

The metropolis in the early twenty-first century

With the onset of the transition to democracy in 1990, the city of Santiago surpassed four million inhabitants, with the majority residing in the south, particularly in La Florida, which was the most populous area, followed by Puente Alto and Maipú.155 The real estate development in these municipalities, as well as in others such as Quilicura and Peñalolén, was largely driven by the construction of housing projects for middle-class families.156 Meanwhile, high-income families relocated to the foothills, now commonly referred to as Barrio Alto, boosting the population of Las Condes and giving rise to young communes, including Lo Barnechea and Vitacura, both established in 1981 and 1991, respectively.157