National Monuments of Chile

The National Monuments of Chile (Spanish: Monumentos Nacionales de Chile), also abbreviated MN, are the constructions, elements and places that form part of the country's cultural heritage, and they are protected by law. They are National Heritage Sites that are an important part of the culture of Chile.

Definition and categories

The law N° 17.288 of national monuments stipulates that:

Are national monuments stays under the State's tuition and protection, the places, ruins, constructions or objects of historic or artistic nature; the Indian burial grounds or cemeteries or other aborigin rests, the pieces or antropo-archaeologic, paleontologic or naturally-formed objects, that exists under or over the national territory surface or in the submarine platform of its jurisdictional waters and which their conservation interests the history, arts or science; the sanctuaries of nature; monuments, statues, columns, pyramids, fonts, shields, crowns, inscriptions and, generally, the objects destined to stay on a public site, with conmemorative character., that law creates the National Monuments Council
—Law N° 17.288 of National Monuments, Art. 1, De los Monumentos Nacionales.

There are 938 national monuments, at October 2008. The monuments are grouped on the following categories:

  • Historic Monuments (633).
  • Public Monuments (150).
  • Archaeologic Monuments (21 elementos).
  • Typical or Picturesque Zones (95).
  • Sanctuaries of Nature (39).

Historic Monuments

Are considered National Monuments:

...the places, ruins, constructions and objects, of fiscal, municipal or particular property that by its quality and historic or artistic interest, or by its antiquity, could be declared such as by supreme decree, dictated by request and previous agreement by the Council.
—Law N° 17.288 of National Monuments, art. 9, De los Monumentos Históricos.

In the register of the National Monuments Council, there are 633 elements (October 2008). Some of the most notable are:

Agustín Ross Cultural Centre, ex-Casino, in Pichilemu, June 2010.

Public Monuments

Public Monuments are all the objects used to perpetuate the memory on public places. The Law determines the Public Monuments as:

...statues, columns, fonts, pyramids, shields, crowns, inscriptions and, generally, all the objects placed to perpetuate memory on countries, streets, public squares or other public places.
—Law N° 17.288 of National Monuments, art. 17, De los Monumentos Públicos.

The National Monuments Council of Chile is trying to create a register in which all of the Public Monuments could be listed, using information from the local authorities. As of October 2008, there are 150 Public Monuments on the list.

  • Hito al Trópico de Capricornio

Archaeologic Monuments

Are considered Archaeologic Monuments:

... places, ruins, deposits and antropo-archaeologic pieces that exists under or over the national territory surface.
—Law N° 17.288 of National Monuments, art. 21, De los Monumentos Arqueológicos

In the National Monuments Council' register, at October 2008, there exists 21 Archaeologic Monuments. Some of the most notable ones are:

Typical or Picturesque Zones

Are urban or rural properties, that forms a unity and are notable by their style, materiality or constructive technique. Legally, are considered Typical or Picturesque Zones:

With the purpose to hold the environmental nature proper of some towns or places where could exist archaeologic ruins, or ruins and buildings declared Historic Monuments, the National Monuments Council can request to be declared of public interest the protection and preservation of these towns or places, or some zones of them.
—Law N° 17.288 of National Monuments, art. 29, De la Conservación de los Caracteres Ambientales.

In the National Monuments Council register, at October 2008, there are 95 typical zones. Some of the most notable are:

Sanctuaries of Nature

Sala y Gómez Island.

Are considered Sanctuaries of Nature:

Are sanctuaries of nature all of the terrestrial or marine sites that could offer special possibilities for studies and geologic, paleontologic, zoologic, botanic or ecologic investigations, or that have natural formations, which conservation could be of interest for the science or for the State.
—Law N° 17.288 of National Monuments, art. 31, De los Santuarios de la naturaleza e investigaciones científicas.

In the National Monuments Council there are 39 Sanctuaries of Nature.

See also

External links