One of the main atractions in Valparaiso, must be to head for the hills to see the murals, the colorful, traditional architecture and soak in the faded atmosphere of a bygone era. It is already ten month since I returned from Chile. I don't think I have ever taken so many photos of street art before! Looks like there must be many hundred murals in that city. That is, if you count every piece on walls, doors, benches, pavements etc..
Valparaiso is situated at the Chile's Pacific coast. The location with the bay on one side and the steep hills on the other have forced people to be innovative when it comes to architectural constructions. The many coloured buildings are climbing like ivy on the hills along the cobbled streets. The port was once the entry point for many European imigrants. But when the Panama Canal opened in 1914, the city became more or less usefull as a port. It might have changed in recent years, because of the cruiseships.
When Valparaìso was a port of importance around the middle of 1800, its population doubled in a few years. The wealthy European traders lived at the port, on the flat part of the city, the sailors, on the other hand, lived on the hills. They were poor people and built their houses with pieces of material they got from the boats. The repainted that in various colors. Besides admiring the street art, it is also interesting to study the architecture. The architectural styles will tell something about which European country they came from.
Grafitti and street art are both part of the identity of the city. It is ranging from simple tagging to large murals. It is everywhere. The graffitti scene started as a silent protest against the regime of Augusto Pinochet in the 70s. During his rule artistic expression was repressed. But when the dictatorship ended, the government decided to make it legal. The effect of that decision has resulted in some of the coolest street art on the continent.
You will need several days to see everything. Street art and grafitti is everywhere. You can’t miss it. In just one street I counted more than 25 pieces! In fact, it’s hard to find a wall without a mural.
Each time I walked down the stairs I didn’t notice anything special. When I turned around, the staircase was decoreated as well. You can not see that when you are on the way down the stairs. I learned that it was important to turn around to check the stairs. Otherwise I would overlook some interesting stairs. I might have done that...
The city has a bohemian atmosphere, inspired by painters, musicians and writers. One of Chile's greatest writes lived here – Pablo Neruda. He once said: « Valparaiso is a wonderful mess». After walking the hills, looking at this colorful part of the city, I must say I agree with him.
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All the photoes are mine, Ulla Jensen (flickr, Instagram and facebook)
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