From the top of the Cerro de la Cruz (Cross Hill) there is a panoramic view of the city with its red, blue, and yellow roofs ant their streets going down sloping to the Strait. At the horizon there is a sight of Tierra del Fuego, Mount Sarmiento and the south area of Brunswick peninsula. In close-up it's seen the remainders of old sailing ships that have been beached there for a long time.


Going by Señoret Street down to Colon Avenue and turning left, there is a cobbled street, a reminiscence of the former colonies. Going up about two blocks by this street, reaching the top of the hill it is seen the other half of the city. It is possible to see the industrial sector, the horticultural district, the duty-free zone; right to the left is the ice-skating pool. At far there is a glimpse of the ski runs going down as open furrows in the middle of the forest of Cerro Mirador, 8 kms. from the city.

DOWNTOWN

At main square and in the streets that converge to it, are the public buildings, the Union Club and the principal houses with their fine turrets and uneven shaped roofs, surrounded with transparent winter gardens and lighted by spherical lamps leaned against the entrance walls. Large parks surround these mansions with magnificent araucarias growing.

In the square, trees of aged trunks and small foliage line the paths that converge to the Fernando de Magallanes monument. Local people and tourists come to kiss the toe of the Indian that is leaned against the stone base of the monument, according to the legend that says that who keep this tradition will come back to Magallanes.

SALESIANO CHURCH

Among the salesiano churches of the city outstands the Cathedral and the Maria Auxiliadora sanctuary.

The first church built by salesianos was made with timber and was destroyed by a fire, on June 17th of 1892, four months after being inaugurated. Nine years later a new brick church was built, dedicated to the Holy Heart, that is today the head parish.

SALESIANO MUSEUM "MAGGIORINO BORGATELLO"

The museum is situated in Bulnes Avenue 374, in the first and second floor of the building besides the Maria Auxiliadora sanctuary.


The museum was opened in 1893 by salesianos missionaries and is supported thanks to free will contributions. Its is very complete in its several sections: ethnology, mineralogy, history, flora and fauna; there are also works of the missionaries, native handicraft, fossils and petrified animals, tools used by aborigines and photographs of them and a History of Oil section.

BRAUN MENENDEZ REGIONAL MUSEUM

The Magallanes Historical Museum, opened in February of 1983 in the magnificent setting of Braun-Menendez palace, gathers an important collection of objects that testify the passing of man in regional history.

INSTITUTE OF THE PATAGONIA

Research center that ranges over several scientific and technical fields. The Institute offers to visitors to get information and to do research about the Patagonian science, culture and technique. Its installations include a library, a botanical garden and the Memory Museum that keeps carriages, machinery and tools used at pioneers period; it also has a maritime pavilion, typical houses of the colonizing time, an ancient garage, etc., with special museography displays.

MILITARY AND NAVAL MUSEUMS

The Naval and Maritime Museum (Pedro Montt 981), together with the Military Museum of the Fifth Army Division (Pudeto Regiment, Zenteno St.) assemble an interesting historical exhibit of the importance of these two branches of Chilean Armed Forces in colonizing Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic territory.

MUNICIPAL THEATER

This theater, sited in Magallanes street, is located in the place where was built the first fort of Punta Arenas, in 1848. Jose Menendez, one of the important pioneers of Magallanes, donated the building.

THE CEMETERY

In the municipal cemetery it is possible to see mausoleums that show the privilege that enjoyed some local families in the past. For instance the tomb of Jose Menendez, a small-sized copy of Roman Victor Manuel monument.

DUTY-FREE ZONE

In this place it is possible to buy all kind of imported goods to reduced prices, since it entered the country tax-free.