La Portada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids La Portada Natural Monument |
|
|---|---|
|
IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
|
|
.jpg)
La Portada Natural Monument
|
|
| Location | Antofagasta Region, Chile |
| Area | 0.3127 km2 |
| Governing body | Corporación Nacional Forestal |
La Portada, which means "The Gateway" in Spanish, is a giant natural rock arch found on the coast of Chile. It's about 18 kilometers (11 miles) north of the city of Antofagasta. This amazing arch is one of 15 special "natural monuments" in Chile, meaning it's a protected area.
There's also a smaller, similar rock arch in a town called Pucatrihue, in the Osorno Province.
About La Portada
The La Portada Natural Monument is a protected area covering about 31 hectares (that's like 77 football fields!). Its most famous part is the huge rock arch, which has special rock shapes and old fossils.
The arch itself is super tall, about 43 meters (140 feet) high, which is like a 14-story building! It's also 23 meters (75 feet) wide and 70 meters (230 feet) long. The bottom of the arch is made of dark, strong rock called andesite.
Around this base, you can see layers of marine rocks, including yellowish sandstone. These layers also hold fossils of shells that are between 2 and 35 million years old! The arch was formed over a very long time by the ocean waves and currents slowly wearing away the rock.
The arch is surrounded by tall cliffs along the coast. These cliffs were also shaped by the ocean's power and can reach up to 52 meters (170 feet) above the sea.
On October 5, 1990, La Portada was officially declared a natural monument. This means it's a special place that needs to be protected.
Since March 2003, the monument has been closed to visitors. This happened because a large part of the cliffs had a landslide, which blocked the path to the beach. Plans are being made to fix the access road and the surrounding area so people can visit again safely.
Animals at La Portada
La Portada is a great place to watch many kinds of birds, especially those that produce guano (bird droppings used as fertilizer).
- Sea Birds: You can often see Peruvian boobies and Inca terns flying around. Other common birds include Guanay cormorants, kelp gulls, grey gulls, Belcher's gulls, and large pelicans.
- Marine Mammals: Sometimes, if you're lucky, you might spot marine mammals like the South American fur seal or the common dolphin swimming in the waters nearby.
How to Get There
La Portada is located about 18 kilometers (11 miles) north of Antofagasta. You can reach it by taking Route 1, which goes from Antofagasta towards Tocopilla. There's a special access road that turns off at kilometer 20.
The monument is also close to the Cerro Moreno International Airport and the La Chimba National Reserve.
Images for kids
-
A wide view of the La Portada Natural Monument.
See also
In Spanish: Monumento natural La Portada para niños
