Chilotan architecture is a unique
architectural style
An architectural style is a set of characteristics and features that make a building or other structure notable or historically identifiable. It is a sub-class of style in the visual arts generally, and most styles in architecture relate closely ...
that is mainly restricted to the
Chiloé Archipelago
The Chiloé Archipelago ( es, Archipiélago de Chiloé, , ) is a group of islands lying off the coast of Chile, in the Los Lagos Region. It is separated from mainland Chile by the Chacao Channel in the north, the Sea of Chiloé in the east and t ...
and neighboring areas of southern
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
. These buildings have been designated a
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
.
History
Chiloé, in part because of its physical isolation from the rest of Chile and access to different materials, has a unique colonial architecture that differs substantially from typical Chilean
Spanish colonial architecture.
;Spanish colonial churches
The Spanish, who arrived in the 16th century and their
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
missionaries who followed, constructed hundreds of small
wooden churches Wooden church may refer to:
* Carpathian wooden churches:
**Wooden churches of Maramureș, Romania
** Wooden churches of the Slovak Carpathians, including three articular churches
**Wooden churches of Southern Lesser Poland
**Wooden churches in Ukr ...
as part of the
Indian Reductions
Reductions ( es, reducciones, also called ; , pl. ) were settlements created by Spanish rulers and Roman Catholic missionaries in Spanish America and the Spanish East Indies (the Philippines). In Portuguese-speaking Latin America, such red ...
mandated by the Crown for
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Spain began colonizing the Americas under the Crown of Castile and was spearheaded by the Spanish . The Americas were invaded and incorporated into the Spanish Empire, with the exception of Brazil, British America, and some small regions ...
. The result was a mixing of
Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
and
indigenous Chilean beliefs.
;Houses and buildings
Nearly all the houses and buildings in colonial Chiloe were built with wood, and
wooden shingles were extensively employed. The roof shingles of
Fitzroya
''Fitzroya'' is a monotypic genus in the cypress family. The single living species, ''Fitzroya cupressoides'', is a tall, long-lived conifer native to the Andes mountains and coastal of southern Chile, and only to the Andes mountains Argentina, ...
came to be used as money and called ''
Real
Real may refer to:
Currencies
* Brazilian real (R$)
* Central American Republic real
* Mexican real
* Portuguese real
* Spanish real
* Spanish colonial real
Music Albums
* ''Real'' (L'Arc-en-Ciel album) (2000)
* ''Real'' (Bright album) (2010)
...
de Alerce''. In the late 19th century many ''
palafito
Stilt houses (also called pile dwellings or lake dwellings) are houses raised on stilts (or piles) over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding; they also keep out vermin. The ...
s'', or
stilt house
Stilt houses (also called pile dwellings or lake dwellings) are houses raised on stilts (or piles) over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding; they also keep out vermin. The ...
s, were built in cities such as
Castro
Castro is a Romance language word that originally derived from Latin ''castrum'', a pre-Roman military camp or fortification (cf: Greek: ''kastron''; Proto-Celtic:''*Kassrik;'' br, kaer, *kastro). The English-language equivalent is '' chester''.
...
and
Chonchi
Chonchi is a Chilean town and commune located in Los Lagos Region.
The commune consists of the town of Chonchi and the following villages:
* Rauco
* Quinched
* Vilupulli
* Teupa
* Terao
* Petanes
* Notue
* Quiao
* Huillinco
* Cucao
Demographics ...
.
See also
*
German architecture in Southern Chile
*
Plan Serena
Plan Serena was a major urbanistic project in the Chilean city of La Serena which included restoring the old city, building new public schools and new buildings for several public services. The project took place between 1948 and 1952 and left La ...
External links
Unesco World Heritage Site - The Churches of Chiloe
Architecture in Chile
Architectural styles
Chiloé Archipelago
Colonial architecture in Chile
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