Photo Gallery

Typical landscape along the unpaved gravel road linking the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama with the El Tatio geysers in northern Chile. This route takes you to an extreme altitude of over 4,000 metres. Vegetation is almost entirely non-existent due to the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert and the cold. In the background, you can see the volcanic Andean Cordillera, which stretches along the Chilean-Bolivian border, including the striking, partly still active Putana volcano (5,890 m), which rises directly behind the El Tatio geyser field. Cerro Tatio (5,208 m) gives the region its name. In the ancient Kunza language, the word means ‘The Weeping Grandfather’. Or the mighty Tocorpuri volcanic complex (5,808 m) right on the border, whose slopes you pass by whilst driving. – Chile – 1976

With a population of three million (1977), Santiago de Chile is one of the five largest cities in South America. It lies at the foot of the Andes and is traversed by the River Mapocho. Founded in 1541 by Pedro de Valdivia on the Cerro de Santa Lucía, the city initially spread out around this hill. The centre remains the Plaza de Armas (above), where the cathedral – which has been destroyed several times – the bishop’s palace, the post office and arcades lined with shops are situated. Although the Spanish colonial grid layout still predominates, only a few old buildings have survived due to various major fires and earthquakes. More than half of the country’s economic activity is concentrated in and around Santiago; with its universities and technical college, its significance extends far beyond Chile. - Book: Picture 163 - Chile - 1976