CHILE TRIP REPORT Day 15: Santiago churches, Santo Domingo and Metropolitan cathedral Xmas mass

 DAY 15: DEC 25 SATURDAY

 SANTIAGO CHURCHES XMAS

We were out of rice and other provisions. We had tried to go to the biggest shop in San Pedro de Atacama but it was locked and people were getting stuff through the grills. We got a couple of things at a mom n pop store and were cheated. So we had not felt like buying from there. We had known shops will be closed in Santiago but had hoped the small convenience stores near our hotel will open by the afternoon or at least the ones in Plaza de Armas.

But they all remained closed through the day.

Anyway, we made some food and then took the metro to Plaza de Armas. They were charging full price, quite annoying.

We made a wrong turn and landed at the north corner of the plaza and saw the Santo Domingo church and the square with the fountain.

Santo Domingo Church (Spanish: Iglesia de Santo Domingo) is a Dominican church in the historical downtown of Santiago de Chile. It is located at the corner of Santo Domingo Street and 21 de Mayo Street The present structure is the fourth church built on the same site to house the Dominican congregation in Santiago. Earthquakes in 1595, 1647, and 1730 destroyed the early churches.

The fourth church began to be constructed in 1747

We sat in the last row for some parts of the mass. Then we got out and walked to Plaza de Armas It is a neoclassical Cathedral with a beautiful interior. built between 1748 and 1800.

We sat a bit for the mass here also and then came out.

This is the colorful metro station

This is the Bellavista burrio near our hotel.

Watched the sun set from apt balcony at 9.30pm

Report continues here

https://adventuretrav.blogspot.com/2022/03/chile-trip-report-day-16-santiago.html