From the top of the hill, Pedro de Valdivia scanned the city spread before him in silent satisfaction. It was the day of Saint Lucia, rather apt as the final city fell under his rule, and so this hill would be named Saint Lucia he decided.

Long after the inquisition, Santa Lucia Hill of Santiago took on a different form. The townspeople took to taking strolls along the paved paths and decorated gardens and eventually the hill became a site for romantic evenings and family outings. Castillo Hidalgo impressed all those who passed it, bountiful elegance cascading down the spiral steps and granite columns. From its balconies, the Andes peaks are a misty silhouette of a different time and terrain. But true to the park’s origins, the sound of cannons can be heard echoing through the treetops of the park every weekday at noon in remembrance of the 21-gun salute. For decades, Santa Lucia Hill has served as a lookout for the people of Santiago, combining its origins as a military outpost with its role of connecting people from all walks of life. So take the time to wind down and view Santiago from a different angle.