Historic Center The historic center is located between the Mapocho River and the Alameda. This is where the Spanish conquistadors built their city and where the first colonial buildings were constructed around the Plaza de Armas. Chile’s first church, now the cathedral, was built in this square in 1551. It was destroyed and rebuilt twice after the 1647 and 1730 earthquakes. The present cathedral was built between the years 1748 and 1775 with many renovations and … Read entire article »