Caldera

Caldera – capital of the commune – is located in a protected bay, 46.6 miles north east from Copiapó. Caldera is composed by 3 bays connected between them through paved roads, each of them with warm water. It offers excellent touristic services. The city has 12.776 inhabitants and it is the most important resort from the Region of Atacama.

Some remarkable sites of the city:

The beautiful graveyard declared national monument, the first secular cemetery in the whole country which was created on 1879. In its historical site, mausoleums and graves have iron structures done by English artisans and headstones made of Carrara marble. It deserves to be visited.

San Vicente de Paul’s Church was built on wood in 1862, with the floor made of stones and a gothic tower. On its interior you can find an image of Virgen de los Dolores, brought from Peru after the campaigns of the War of the Pacific . It also lodges the Parish Museum with pre hispanic and old liturgical elements. Masses are celebrated from Tuesday to Saturday at 20 and Sunday at 11. It can be visited during masses.

It is also interesting to visit the surrounding houses, with neoclassical doors and windows. Mackenzie House (Casa Mackenzie) is also remarkable, with an interesting corridor that runs through Carvallo Street and the Tornini House (Casa Tornini) a three story building with an eclectic and historic style that got pre built from Boston.

The Railway Station, declared National Monument. Functions the Caldera’s Station Cultural Center which shelters a wide variety of art expositions, a sample of paleontology and historic photographs from Chilean railway and – in February – Caldera’s Cinema and Video Iberoamerican Festival.

The former customs office – built in a neoclassical style- now restored and transformed work as the Cultural Development Center administered by University of Atacama at Campus Caldera with an art exhibition room, conferences and local expositions.

Caldera is composed by 3 bays of warm waters, connected between them through paved roads: The first one is Mild Beach (Playa Mansa) located in front of the city, Wild Beach (Playa Brava), at the north end and Loreto Beach (Playa Loreto), located tree kilometers through the south west side.

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