Queen Victoria Elevator to the Old Prison

Summary: A highly recommended walk through the upper sections of the Pleasant Hill National Historic District, winding along the elegant German Avenue to Bismark Square, and down Cumming Street to the old prison, now an active cultural center.
Estimated Walking time: Approximately 2 hours.

How to get here: Leave your car in the underground parking at Lord Cochrane Square (Regional Government Building) and walk 3 blocks up through the Plazuela Aníbal Pinto up Cumming Street to the Queen Victoria Funicular. Any bus outside the bus station will take you as well. Get off at Bellavista Street in front of the Líder Supermarket. From there, walk the same 3 blocks across the plaza, through the Pazuela Aníbal Pinto, and up Cumming Street to the Queen Victoria elevator.

Degree of difficulty: Strenuous, especially the first stretch from the Queen Victoria Elevator up to Avenida Alemania. The rest is flat or downhill.
Tourist Infrastructure: There are some small stores and galleries on Almirante Montt Street, parallel to Capilla, at the beginning of your walk, but you will be hard pressed to find clean public bathrooms, so start with your tank empty.

Queen Victoria Elevator

At the end of Dimalow Promenade, you’ll find the Queen Victoria Elevator, inaugurated in 1902. This vantage point offers on of the most striking vistas in all of Chile.

Capilla Street

You come to Capilla after a short walk along an interesting cobblestone passageway that traverses the flank of Pleasant Hill. Capilla Street has some steep sections, but the European architecture will distract your attention. Eventually, you will come to a tiny plaza called San Luis, named for the nearby Catholic Church. Another side Street, called Galos Street (literally the Welshman) is also worth a look.

Avenida Alemania

We continue along Avenida Alemania (German Avenue) the beltway connecting the hills of Valparaíso. As you start your walk, you’ll see the old German Hospital. In the old days, every one who was anyone in Valparaíso was born at this hospital, including ex-presidents, famous poets, magnates, and diplomats.
After winding 5 blocks along the attractive beltway, you arrive at Biskmark Square. In front of the square you’ll find the stately Manuel Montt School. You will also find one of the most impressive 360 degree views you’ve ever seen.

Cumming Street

From the Bismark Square we head down Cumming Street to the old prison site, now a cultural center. Half way down you will find an attractive photo opportunity to the old Lord Cochrane Housing Estate, a dazzling display of the twenty or so high quality wooden houses, scaling the hillside. This area forms part of the St. John’s Hill National Historic District described in stage 4.

The Old Prison

Authorities have struggled to find the right plan to transform this historic penitentiary. The Guggenheim Foundation studied it as a finalist for their Latin American museum, but a large donation from a Brazilian industrialist ended that dream, in favor of Sao Paulo. Since that time, regional authorities have battled with government authorities in Santiago over a definitive restoration plan scheduled for the near future. In the meantime, the old cells can be visited during working hours. A series of old limestone tunnels located beneath the cellblocks and dating back to the early Spanish settlements, constitute one of the site’s most unique archeological features. Take a break.