Portal Fernández Concha

The Portal Fernández Concha creates a continuous arcade along the south side of the Plaza de Armas, defined by its rhythmic stone arches and the ornate, dark metal balconies projecting over the sidewalk. Built in eighteen sixty-nine on the site of the old colonial prison, the structure was the first in Santiago to combine high-end apartments with a ground-floor commercial gallery. Inside, the original owners hosted the city’s first grand rotunda café, where politicians and writers debated the future of Chile over coffee.