Morro de Arica hill description and photos - Chile: Arica (Topic)

Morro de Arica hill description and photos - Chile: Arica. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Morro de Arica.

Photo and description

Morro de Arica is a steep hill that protects the city of Arica from the south. Its height exceeds 135 meters, and at the top there is a plateau of about 500 square meters. The hill drops abruptly from the side of the city and the sea. A giant Chilean flag flies at its top, there is also a Weapon Museum and several monuments, including Cristo de la Concordia, also called Cristo de la Paz, which symbolizes peace between Chile and Peru according to the 1929 treaty. If you look into the distance north along the coast, from the observation deck of the hill, you can see the rocky coast of Peru.

During the war in the Pacific Ocean (1879-1883), the Morro de Arica hill was a stronghold of defense for the Peruvians troops stationed in the city. On June 7, 1880, Chilean troops led by the outstanding Colonel Pedro Lagos conquered this important strategic height in 55 minutes. But now, after many years after wars and conflicts, this cape is no longer a mystical place. It is a place of romance where hundreds of couples gather every evening to watch the sunset. It is at the very moment when the sun sets over the ocean and is lost in the vast blue waters that during these few minutes dozens of visitors to the amazing peak of Morro de Arica can be kept in suspense.

You can drive up to the top by car. from Sotomayor street to a large parking lot, which also offers a panoramic view of the city of Arica. You can also climb the hill along the footpath at the end of Calle Colon. Along the way, you can see the remains of old forts: Citadel, Forte del Este, Morro Gordo and the foundations of Moro Baggio. All these coastal fortifications were built hundreds of years ago to repel various attacks, including from pirates.

But what most attracts the attention of visitors on the top of the hill is the majestic statue of Jesus Christ, which is also called Cristo de la Concordia. He stands with open arms, inviting people to think about a world without national differences. The bronze statue weighing 15 tons, 11 m high and 10 m wide, has an inner steel frame and a plaque. It was designed by Raul Valdivieso and brought to Chile from Madrid (Spain) in 1987.

In 1971, Morro de Arica was declared a national monument of Chile.

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Topic: Morro de Arica hill description and photos - Chile: Arica.