Sights in Iquique
- Sort by:
- Popular
-
A
Edificio de la Aduana & Museo Naval
Meter-thick walls enclose this haughty colonial-style customshouse, built in 1871 when Iquique was still Peruvian territory. Peru incarcerated prisoners here during the War of the Pacific, and the building would later see battle in the Chilean civil war of 1891. The Aduana houses a small naval museum with artifacts salvaged from the sunken Esmeralda, a plucky little Chilean corvette that challenged ironclad Peruvian warships in the War of the Pacific.
The ship was captained by Arturo Prat (1848-79), whose name now graces a hundred street maps, plazas and institutions. In an impassioned speech aboard the Esmeralda, Prat swore to die in battle and challenged his officers to…
reviewed
-
B
Regional Museum
Iquique’s former courthouse now hosts the catch-all regional museum, which earnestly recreates a traditional adobe altiplano village (complete with mannequins in Aymara dress). The surrounding chambers also have some attention-grabbing exhibits, from animal fetuses floating in formaldehyde to masked Chinchorro mummies and elongated Tiwanaku skulls. Interesting photographs also explore Iquique’s urban beginnings, and a fascinating display dissects the nitrate industry.
reviewed
-
C
Playa Brava
Crashing waves and rip currents at scenic Playa Brava make it dangerous for swimming, but there's plenty of space to sunbathe. Toward the hills, look for the massive dunes of Cerro Dragón, which looks like a set for a science-fiction movie. Taxi colectivos run to Playa Brava from downtown - look for the destination on the sign atop the cab. There are scores of sandy beaches further south, but you'll need to rent a car or bike, or take a taxi.
reviewed
-
D
Humberstone
The influence and wealth of the nitrate boom whisper through the deserted ghost town of Humberstone. Established in 1872, this mining town once fizzed with an energy, culture and ingenuity that peaked in the 1940s. However, the development of synthetic nitrates forced the closure of the oficina by 1960; 3000 workers lost their jobs and the town dwindled to a forlorn shell of itself.
reviewed
-
E
Muelle de Pasajeros
Hour-long boat tours around the harbor leave from Iquique's 1901 passenger pier, just west of the Edificio de la Aduana. The tour floats past the Boya Conmemorativa del Combate de Iquique, a buoy marking the spot where the Esmeralda sank in a confrontation with the ironclad Peruvian Huáscar. It also approaches a colony of sea lions.
reviewed
-
F
Plaza Prat
The good ol' nitrate days are evident through Iquique's center. Its beautiful wooden-fronted 19th-century buildings also speak eloquently of foreign influences during the nitrate boom. The city's 19th-century swagger is especially hard to miss in Plaza Prat - the city's focus.
reviewed
-
G
Teatro Municipal
Jumping fountains line the short walkway south to the marble-stepped Teatro Municipal, an ostentatious neoclassical building that has been hosting opera, theater and more since 1890; take a quick peek at the painted ceilings inside.
reviewed
-
H
Palacio Astoreca
South of the plaza, Av Baquedano is lined with Georgian-style balustraded buildings dating from 1880 to 1930. Among them is the cream-and-lime painted Palacio Astoreca, a nitrate baron’s mansion that now also functions as a museum.
reviewed
-
I
Av Baquedano
Av Baquedano is the main thoroughfare, and its northern section is an attractive pedestrian mall. A handsomely restored tram (which normally sits outside the theater) occasionally jerks its way down the avenue in the tourist high-season.
reviewed
-
Naval Museum
The Aduana houses a small naval museum with artifacts salvaged from the sunken Esmeralda, a plucky little Chilean corvette that challenged ironclad Peruvian warships in the War of the Pacific.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Tribunales de Justicia
South of the plaza, Av Baquedano is lined with Georgian-style balustraded buildings dating from 1880 to 1930. Among them is the former Tribunales de Justicia, now the Museo Regional.
reviewed
-
K
Military Museum
Iquique’s little military museum features a patriotic parade of exhibits on the War of the Pacific. The enthusiastic guard usually allows guests to wield an original cavalry sword.
reviewed
-
L
Iglesia San Antonio de Padua
About five blocks east of the Mercado Centenario, the Iglesia San Antonio de Padua is worth a visit for its twin bell towers and star-encrusted ceiling.
reviewed
-
M
Iquique English College
South of the plaza, Av Baquedano is lined with Georgian-style balustraded buildings dating from 1880 to 1930. Among them is the Iquique English College.
reviewed
-
N
Sociedad Protectora de Empleados de Tarapacá
The 1913 Sociedad Protectora de Empleados de Tarapacá is historically significant as one of the country’s first labor union buildings.
reviewed
-
O
Torre Reloj
The city's 19th-century swagger is hard to miss in the 1877 whimsical Torre Reloj clock tower, seemingly baked and sugar-frosted rather than built.
reviewed
-
Art Hall
The Collahuasi mining company got it right when they built this small art hall, with rotating installations by local artists.
reviewed
-
Playa Huaiquique
This beach is an exhilarating choice but the sea is warmer further north near Arica.
reviewed
