Cerro Panteón And Cerro Cárcel

Cerro Panteón and Cerro Cárcel, two isolated hills visible from one another, are historical remnants of old Valparaíso. Cerro Panteón houses the illustrious dead of the city in three different cemeteries. The regal Cementerio Número 1 was the first Catholic cemetery in the city, and it sits next to the Cementerio de Disidentes, the more modest cemetery for the city’s important Protestant families. The names on the headstones give visitors an idea of Valparaíso’s international origins in Germany, England, and Italy.

A stone’s throw from Cerro Panteón is Cerro Cárcel, where the ex-prison sits, roofless and full of local artistry. The prison, which closed its doors as a penitentiary in 1999, has recently become one of the most vibrant venues for Valparaíso artists. The open courtyards are full of sculpture, history, and (of course) graffiti, and on weekends you can catch local theater performances in the large black box theater. The future of the ex-prison, however, is still up in the air as the government is looking to commission a project to convert the structure into a modern cultural center and performance venue for visiting artists.

If you’re staying up in the hills, walk along Avenida Alemania to get some gorgeous views on your way to or from the ex-Cárcel and the cemeteries.

Other neighborhoods in Valparaíso : Cerro Artilleria, Congreso Nacional, Parte Antigua, Cerro Alegre, Cerro Concepción, Cerro Bellavista, Muelle Baron, Cerro Cárcel , Cerro Barón and Cerro Santo Domingo.