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Valparaíso (literally in Spanish: Paradise Valley and also called "Valpo" locally) is a major city in Chile and one of that country's most important seaports and an increasingly vital cultural center in the hemisphere's Pacific Southwest. Nicknamed “The Jewel of the Pacific”, Valparaíso was declared a world heritage site based upon its improvised urban design and unique architecture.

Immortalized in the words of Pablo Neruda as the ‘Ocean’s sweetheart’ (“novia del océano”), the city that ‘goes to Paradise’ ("Va al paraíso") is one of Chile’s —if not South America’s— most charismatic and historic ports, with its charming “ascensores” (funiculars) and colorful hillside houses.

Open Air Museum in Bellavista

There are more than twenty contemporary murals, come by art students, and others by the most renowned painters Chile has produced in the 20th century. To complement the public art, the Valparaíso Foundation restored the facades of 23 homes in the neighborhood, converting this section of Bellavista Hill into one of the most photographed spectacles in the city. The most interesting murals include those of Roberto Matta, Roser Bru, and Nemesio Antunez.

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Additional Photos by Malgorzata Kopczynska (emka) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1149 W: 51 N: 2775] (22357)
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