| Parque O'Higgins | |
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 Interactive map of Parque O'Higgins | |
| Type | Urban Park |
| Location |  Santiago,Chile |
| Coordinates | 33°27′59″S70°39′40″W / 33.46639°S 70.66111°W /-33.46639; -70.66111 |
| Area | 75 hectares |
| Created | 1873 |
| Operated by | Santiago |
| Status | Open |
O'Higgins Park (Spanish:Parque O'Higgins, previously known asParque Cousiño), covering approximately 75 hectares (190 acres), isSantiago,Chile's second largest public park afterMetropolitan Park. It is situated in the center of the capital city, within theSantiago Commune.
Named afterBernardo O'Higgins, one ofChile's founding fathers, the park is a popular destination for families on weekends and holidays, particularly during thenational holiday on September 18, when traditional gathering places for dancing, eating, and drinking, calledfondas andramadas, are open to the public for a few days.
From 2011 and 2019, O’Higgins Park served as the location of the annualLollapalooza Chile music festival.
The present-day O’Higgins Park is the result of gradual evolution over its history. The site, originally calledPampilla orEl Llano, was a flat open space between the modern-day Santa Rosa and San Ignacio streets, where people gathered to celebrateFiestas Patrias, Chile'snational day.
The government bought the land in 1845 and used the southern portion for state buildings, including a jail. In 1870, it gave the northern portion of the terrain to Chilean politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist Luis Cousiño. Inspired by the parks he saw inEurope, he decided to create one in his own city and contracted Frenchlandscaper Guillermo Renner to shape it into parkland. The park was inaugurated by his widowIsidora Goyenechea in 1873 and was namedParque Cousiño in his honor.[1]
In 1956, work began on an indoor stadium inside O’Higgins Park which would eventually become the largest covered arena in Chile. Construction started but then stalled, leaving only the bare structure of the stadium complete until 1999, when the roof was finally completed. After further delays, the stadium at last opened to the public in 2006 as the Arena Santiago. In 2008,Telefonica’s cellphone divisionMovistar bought the naming rights and the stadium became theMovistar Arena.[2]
On 19 December 1926, theChurch in Chile used Cousiño Park for a ceremony to crown an image ofOur Lady of Mount Carmel, Chile’spatron saint, led byBenedetto Aloisi Masella, the papalnuncio to the country. The painting used in the ceremony is preserved inSantiago Metropolitan Cathedral and is carried through the streets of Santiago on the last Sunday of September each year.
In 1987,Pope John Paul II visited Chile and led abeatification ceremony in O’Higgins Park for SaintTeresa of Los Andes.[3] The ceremony had to be suspended when violence broke out between theCarabineros de Chile (Chilean police force andgendarmerie) and crowds protestingAugusto Pinochet’smilitary dictatorship. The situation calmed and the pope, believed to be asupporter of Chile’s return to democracy, concluded his address with the words “love is stronger”.[4]
In 2000, theArena Santiago in O’Higgins Park played host to atie tennis match between Chile and Argentina as part of theDavis Cup. During the second singles match betweenNicolás Massú andMariano Zabaleta, the crowd reacted violently, throwing objects on the court and forcing Argentina to withdraw.[5]
In November 2010, musician andLollapalooza founderPerry Farrell announced that the first overseas version of the rock festival would take place in O’Higgins Park, Santiago. The inauguralLollapalooza Chile took place on 2–3 April 2011 and drew a crowd of about 100,000, with venues including the park's Movistar Arena, La Elipse, and La Cupula Theater. Lollapalooza Chile has returned annually since then, most recently on 16–18 March 2018.[6]
The park is located next toParque O'Higgins metro station and near Santiago'sAutopista Central highway.
Key structures and facilities include:
TheMovistar Arena, one of the largest multi-use stadia in South America. Campo de Marte, also known asLa Elipse (Spanish:the ellipse), where a military parade takes place every September 19 for theDay of the Glories of the Army. El Pueblito (Spanish:little village), where visitors can find shops, craft stalls and museums, including the Museum of theHuaso and the Insect and Snail Museum.Fantasilandia, the biggestamusement park in Chile, located in the Olympic pool park's northwestern corner.[7]
There is also a public pool, a roller-skating field, a skate park, tennis courts, a soccer field, a theater and an artificial lake, with walking trails crossing the length of the park.
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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33°27′51″S70°39′36″W / 33.46417°S 70.66000°W /-33.46417; -70.66000