Biblioteca Nacional de Chile

Santiago


Chile’s national library is a sight to behold, with soaring ceilings, stained-glass domes, checkered floors and creaky antique furnishings. One of the largest (and oldest) libraries in Latin America, it hosts frequent gallery exhibitions and is a great spot to rest your legs with free internet and a central cafe.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Santiago attractions

1. Iglesia de San Francisco

0.14 MILES

The first stone of the austere Iglesia de San Francisco was laid in 1586, making it Santiago's oldest surviving colonial building. Its sturdy walls have…

2. Barrio París-Londres

0.17 MILES

This pocket-sized neighborhood developed on the grounds of the Franciscan convent of Iglesia de San Francisco is made up of two intersecting cobblestone…

3. Londres 38

0.19 MILES

Explore the dark history of the early days of the Pinochet regime at this former detention center. There are both guided and unguided tours.

4. Cerro Santa Lucía

0.2 MILES

Take a break from the chaos of the Centro with an afternoon stroll through this lovingly manicured park. It was just a rocky hill until 19th-century mayor…

5. Edificio Radicales

0.38 MILES

Nowhere else in Santiago can you stop by an art gallery, check out an independent film, do a bit of coworking, grab a pisco sour and purchase a sex toy…

6. Centro Gabriela Mistral

0.39 MILES

This striking cultural and performing-arts center – named for Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American woman to win the Nobel Prize in…

7. Plaza de Armas

0.44 MILES

Since the city's founding in 1541, the Plaza de Armas has been its symbolic heart. In colonial times a gallows was the square's grisly centerpiece; today…

8. Museo de Artes Visuales

0.44 MILES

Exposed concrete, stripped wood and glass are the materials local architect Cristián Undurraga chose for the stunningly simple Museo de Artes Visuales…