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Comandancia Cuerpo de Bomberos de Valparaíso (Central Fire Station of Valparaiso)

Comandancia Cuerpo de Bomberos de Valparaíso.

Location: Plaza Sotomayor (Sotomayor Square)

Year: 1995

This building was built by the middle of the 20th century in a land traditionally used by the town’s fire department. Its architectonic particularity lies in a volumetrically compact concept and it is standardized in relation to the square neighboring buildings.

It was built in 1955 and its best feature consists in the property’s neutrality and the privilege of contributing as part of an urban set, due to its role as the head of the block and also as part of the square.

The architect’s decision to prioritize the building’s urban role, fluently lead to the specific architectonical resolution of problems such as the corner, the street level treatment and the upper finishing touch. It has a close familiarity with the Banco Español-Chile (Español-Chile Bank), which was built in Santiago by Escipión Munizaga together with Alberto and Carlos Cruz, a remarkable example of the urban modernization process that the capital was experiencing.

Administración Aduana y Estación Puerto (Customs Administration and Puerto Station)

Edificio de la Dirección Nacional de Aduana.

Estación Puerto.

Location: Plaza Sotomayor

Year: 1932 and 1935-1937

The original Estación Puerto was inaugurated in 1876 in this square, when it used to reach until Estación Bellavista (Bellavista station) . The land gained to the sea allowed to consolidate a new railway line, starting from 1930 and opening in 1931 Errázuriz Avenue as we know it today. The presence of the railway in the port was a manifestation of progress, but it also had an important impact on the city structure, in the uninterrupted space between the seaside and the urban center.

These towers are located in the opposite end of the former Intendancy building, in Plaza Sotomayor where the square faces the sea, framed by these buildings, they were designed in such a way that they formed a gateway to the city. These buildings constitute an important architectural landmark that is; according to the larger urban scale of the seaside, the only occasion in which the city contacts directly with it.

Plaza Echaurren and surroundings

Plaza Echaurren

Location: Barrio Puerto

Remodeling year: 2005

It started as a little esplanade alongside the beach, which was fed by San Fransico and de la Cajilla ravines. The first ships arrived across from this square, it was probably here where the crew of Juan de Saavedra and Alonso de Quintero met, this area might have been surrounded by Chilean Palms (Jubaea chilensis) and the ravines were ravelled with Boldo, Litre and Patagua trees where some Changos huts were hidden. During the XVIII century, the highest tidemark was in Cochrane Street, and the beach used to reach Serrano-Bustamante Street. This esplanade was pompously called Plaza del Gobernador, because the house of the Gobernor was located in the corner of Subida del Caracol (Castillo Street nowadays). This sector was also called Plaza de Armas. The first cabildo of the city was held in some room of a neighbouring house in 1791 and there was a market down to Cochrane Street. By mid-century there was a square called Plaza de 1832, where the first City Hall was built. It was located in the north sector of the square upon areas that today belong to the public space, which are highlighted by the water fountain. Next to the municipality we can find the Club Alemán and behind it, the City Hall. In 1869, the city hall was relocated in Plaza Victoria and in 1889 the north sector constructions were teared down in order to put gardens, a water fountain and ornamental vases, adding also a fourth corner door fence. Once the works were completed, the square was called Plaza Echaurren in memory of the Intendant of the city Francisco Echaurren Huidobro, who excercised from 1870 to 1876. Currently the square has two parts: the meeting area and the platform, where the colectivos are located. In 2005 the meeting area was remodeled preserving its original pavements and reincorporating the garden walls that once had. The colectivos platform was reorganized to improve its operation.