Neptune Terraces

You’re now standing on the Neptune Terrace, in front of the stunning fountain that shares its name. This grand tribute to the Roman god of the sea was built between 1897 and 1903 as the dramatic entrance to Santa Lucía Hill. At the time, Santiago was in the middle of a major beautification effort, and the city’s mayor, Benjamín Vicuña, wanted to give the capital a touch of French elegance. He hired French architect Victor Henri Villeneuve, who created a design that broke away from the traditional colonial style and introduced a new artistic era for the city. The bronze statue of Neptune you see is actually a replica, cast from the same mold as a sculpture made by Gabriel Dubray in 1856, which was showcased at the International Exhibition in London. The final touches were completed by Chilean artist Benjamín Marambio, and the whole monument was restored in 2012 as part of the country’s bicentennial celebrations. The fountain features a circular basin crowned by Neptune, surrounded by grand staircases that lead up to a triumphal arch. It’s worth taking a moment to soak in the details before continuing your walk to the top of Santa Lucía Hill. Feel free to stray from our itinerary a little, and explore this place at your own pace.