El Revitalizado Parque Balmaceda en Providencia, Muy Hermoso! 🇨🇱 Santiago de Chile

Balmaceda Park is a beautiful park located in the Providencia district of Santiago, Chile. A place where city and nature meet, it's enjoyed daily by locals and travelers alike. So, without further ado, let's get to know this beautiful place. Balmaceda Park covers 5.9 hectares. It brings together culture and nature in one place, hosting various cultural activities and exhibitions. Balmaceda Park features sustainable landscaping. Due to climate change and the severe water crisis affecting the country, the Municipality of Providencia has sought different alternatives to replace the green areas that consume a lot of water due to irrigation. One of these is grass, which has been reduced in size and replaced with species that require less water resources to survive. Balmaceda Park is located between Providencia Avenue and the Andrés Bello Waterfront. It runs from Plaza de la Aviación to Plaza Baquedano. You can get there via metro line 1 from the Salvador station. It is accessible for people with reduced mobility, as it has elevators and ramps. It also offers electric bicycle rentals for exploring the park. According to history, new urban planning concepts began to be implemented in the city of Santiago in 1930, but the country was also experiencing a severe economic crisis, so a solution had to be found to the serious unemployment problems of the time. Thus, the mayor of that time, Almanzor Ureta, planned the construction of an extension of the Parque Forestal (Forest Park) along the banks of the Mapocho River, within the boundaries of the Providencia commune, commissioning its design to Austrian baron Oscar Praguer. Initially, this park was called Parque Japonés (Japanese Park), then changed to Parque Gran Bretaña (Great Britain Park), and then retained its current name, given in honor of President José Manuel Balmaceda, whose statue is located at the beginning of this park, which I will show you later. And let's continue. Another iconic spot in the park is the Racamalac Bridge. It's a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Mapocho River and connects Andrés Bello and Santa María avenues. And what a beautiful view you can enjoy from the bridge, ideal for taking photos, as it offers beautiful views of the park and the city. The structure has a modern, arched style, and its most notable materials are cement, used for the bridge's base, and its metal railings. It also features the Staircase of Childhood, with its message "All rights of children here and now," designed by mosaicist Isidora Paz López. Balmaceda Park is visited daily by locals and travelers. It's a safe place to visit, a good place to stroll, be outdoors, play, bring your pets, or simply sit and enjoy the surroundings. It's important to be responsible for the environment and respect the birds and nature. The area is clean, and it's essential to keep it that way, as there are trash cans. And now we arrive at the Balmaceda Obelisk. This monument to José Manuel Balmaceda, former president of Chile, was designed by Chilean sculptor Samuel Román in 1950. It is an iconic landmark in the park and the city, a popular gathering place for visitors to take photographs. Just steps from the Obelisk is the Statue of the Genius of Liberty, a monument by sculptor Roberto de Negri. It represents a bronze lion accompanied by an angel carrying a torch, and is interpreted as a symbol of the conquest of freedom. Balmaceda Park, located in the heart of Santiago, is a place of tranquility and greenery amidst the bustling urban life. You can explore it leisurely in an hour, an ideal experience you can do with anyone you want. Personally, this place shows me the importance of public spaces and parks and that we should truly enjoy cities and everything they offer. I hope you enjoyed this tour. Let me know in the comments if you've already been to this place or if you'd like to. We'll be exploring new places soon. See you in the next video. Bye. Chapters: 00:00 | Introduction. 00:30 | Where is Balmaceda Providencia Park located? 01:12 | Activities in Balmaceda Providencia Park. 02:02 | History of Balmaceda Providencia Park. 03:48 | Racamalac Bridge. 04:53 | Balmaceda Park and its visitors. 05:46 | Balmaceda Obelisk. 06:40 | Balmaceda Park and its importance in the city. 7:30 | Conclusion and farewell.