Quinta Vergara, Viña del Mar
Photos by Lois Porter (except
one)
2/2/2005
In the heart of Viña del Mar is the beautiful park Quinta Vergara. You
can't miss the monuments near the entrance honoring the Chilean poets who won
Nobel Prizes: Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda. The park was the estate of the
Vergara family, who resided in the Palacio Vergara -- rebuilt in its current
form after the 1906 earthquake. The grounds include many wonderful trees, brought
back from voyages abroad by Salvador Alvarez. His granddaughter, Blanca Vergara
de
Errázuriz, rebuilt the palace in 1906. Her father, Jose Francisco Vergara,
founded the city of Viña del Mar in 1874. Quinta Vergara offers many acres
of woods, with paths and stairs winding up the hill, in addition to the more
organized gardens. And another part of the park is the site of the great amphitheater,
home of summer concerts as well as the famous February International Festival
of Song. Yet another part of the park featured an Arts and Crafts Fair when we
visited.
One woman was knitting finger puppets as we watched: Lois bought two of them.