Estación Mapocho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Estación Mapocho
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| Disused train station | |
The facade of the Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho in 2020
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| Location | Santiago, Chile |
| History | |
| Opened | 1913 |
| Closed | 1987 |
| Rebuilt | 1994 (as cultural centre) |
Estación Mapocho is an old railway station in Santiago, Chile. Since 1994, it has been a busy cultural center where many different events take place.
Contents
History of Estación Mapocho
Building a Grand Station
Work on Estación Mapocho started in 1905. A Chilean architect named Emilio Jecquier, who lived in France, designed it. The building is very long, about 280 meters (918 feet). It is also 17 meters (56 feet) high.
The station had a strong base made of masonry (like brick or stone). Its roof was a huge steel arch covered in glass. Today, the glass has been replaced with copper. A company from Belgium, Haine Saint Pierre, built the steel frame. The station officially opened on May 12, 1912, and trains started running in 1913.
A Symbol of Chilean History
Estación Mapocho is a special reminder of an important time in Chile's past. The country was changing a lot, both economically and socially. It was also celebrating 100 years of independence.
The station was one of several big buildings made to celebrate Chilean independence. Other famous buildings included Santa Lucía Hill park, the Chilean High Court of Justice, and the Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts.
The station is located near the Mapocho River. It is close to the Mercado Central de Santiago, a famous market. The Puente Cal y Canto metro station is right below the "Plaza de la Cultura" (Culture Square) in front of the station.
A Busy Train Hub
For many years, Estación Mapocho was Santiago's main train station. Trains left from here to Valparaíso, Argentina, and northern Chile. Northern Chile was very important back then because of the saltpeter boom. Saltpeter was a valuable mineral.
Because of its impressive design and historical importance, the building was declared a National Monument in 1976. This means it is protected by law.
- Estación Mapocho through history
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In its construction stage
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Aerial view of the Estación Mapocho. Image taken from the summit of the San Cristobal Hill.
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Details of the Interior
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Facade
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View of the lower hall
The Station Closes
In 1986, Estación Mapocho closed for a short time for repairs. Train services were moved to Alameda Station. This caused problems for people traveling from Valparaíso. The number of passengers on the train line went down.
In the same year, a serious train accident called the Queronque rail accident happened. It caused 58 deaths and led to the closure of the Santiago–Valparaíso railway line. In 1987, the Empresa de Ferrocarriles del Estado (Chile's State Railroad Company) stopped the repair work. Estación Mapocho was no longer used as a train station.
The building became very run down and empty. Since it was a national monument, it could not be torn down. So, in 1988, the railroad company sold the building to CORFO, a Chilean agency that helps with economic growth.
Estación Mapocho Cultural Centre
A New Beginning
In 1991, a non profit group called "Corporación Cultural de la Estación Mapocho" (Estación Mapocho Cultural Corporation) was created. Their goal was to fix up the building and manage it. The city of Santiago asked private groups to help restore the building. This was one of the first times a private group managed a public building in Chile. It was also one of the first big cultural projects after Chile's return to democracy.
Architects Montserrat Palmer, Teodoro Fernández, Ramón López, and Rodrigo Pérez de Arce were chosen for the renovation. They wanted to fix the 10,000 square meter (107,639 sq ft) space without changing too much of the original design. They wanted to keep the architect's original work as much as possible. The project cost about $10 million US dollars.
A Place for Culture
The restoration work finished in early 1994. The new Estación Mapocho Cultural Centre opened on March 3, 1994.
Today, the center is a special place that helps promote culture in Chile. It hosts many cultural events. You can find art exhibitions, music concerts, and big meetings there. The Santiago International Book Fair is held at the center every year in late spring.
The center has been recognized for its success in promoting and preserving Chile's heritage. In 2005, it won the City Heritage Award. This was also its 100th anniversary as a building and its 15th anniversary as a cultural center. In 2008, it also received the Reina Sofía International Award for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage.
See also
In Spanish: Centro Cultural Estación Mapocho para niños
- Culture of Chile
- Music of Chile
