Plaza Sotomayor, Valparaíso

Photo, 1900

Re-photo, 2005

At first glance, the black and white photo from 1900 seems very antique, as though it represents a time when everything was different. The pier in the background is filled with tiny boats (or at least they look tiny from the pictures), and the antique

building to the right looks like it’s from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s as well. However, when compares the old photo with

the recent one, not much has changed! The monument is almost exactly the same, except for small differences. However with a closer look, one then notices, “Oh yea, the palm tress are gone...and hey look! What happened to that antique looking building

on the right?”

Sketch

Carole: Valparaíso's Plaza Sotomayor sits as the main entrance to the city, as one comes in from the port and looks up to the hills beyond. In addition to commemorating Chile's "Heroes of the Iquique" with the grand central featuring Arturo Prat and a heavily guarded eternal flame, the plaza also serves a functional purpose. Though no roads are marked, traffic flows through the plaza in the form of both cars and pedestrians, and the square

is lined by public buildings such as the Correos de Chile, the Estación Puerto de Ferrocarriles del Estado, and the Comandancia en Jefe de la Armada de Chile y Primera Zona Naval.

Jenilee: Although Plaza Sotomayor includes a vast area outside of the monument, the monument is clearly the center of the Plaza. In this sketch, not only is the focus solely on the monument itself, but on the insciptions at the base of the monument, as opposed to the famous Arturo Prat. The vantage point of the sketch is from ground level, below the base of stairs that lead to the monument; it also encompasses the front view of the monument, although it is truly a 360 degree work, with figures on each cornerstone.

3. Formal Symbolic Model

Function

· Provide a place of welcome and entrance into the city from the port

· Celebrate and commemorate Chile’s heroes of the battle Iquique

· Act as a public space, provide public services

Form

Open facing the bay
The momumento a los Héroes de Iquique, centrally located
Surrounded by various institutional public buildings: (e.g. Comandancia en Jefe de la Armada de Chile y Primera Zona Naval, Correos de Chile, Compañía de Bomberos, Sudamericana de Vapores, Estación Puerto de Ferrocarriles del Estado, Aduana y Capitanía de Puerto)

Behaviors

Statue and eternal flame heavily guarded
Not very warm and inviting for residents to sit and enjoy the space
Cars driving through the plaza – seems just a part of everyday life, largely ignored by residents
Tourists taking pictures

4. Tour guide overview

Plaza Sotomayor is located in front of Muelle Prat (Prat Wharf) and the Estación Puerto de Ferrocarriles (The Station Port of Railroads). Its center emphasizes the Monumento a los Héroes de Iquique (Monument of the Iquique Heroes), which used to be called Monumente a la Marina Nacional (Monument of the National Marina), and was inaugurated on May 21, 1886. The base of this monument is made of stone brought from Rigoleto, Italy. Arturo Prat, who is the figure at the very top of the monument, is very important in Chilean history, thought to have died heroically for his country during the 1879 war with Peru and Bolivia. By Supreme Decree of Education, the monument was declared protected in 1979. It is a National Monument.

5. Personal vignette

This is a desperate attempt to mimic two of the statues of the monument. It was difficult to get the shot because there was not any room, or time, for the photographer (Professor Kunz) to take a picture. Therefore, Professor Kunz had to jeopardize his own safety by keeping one eye on the speeding traffic and one eye on the lens. Thankfully, no one was hurt. After the picture, Fabia was trying to keep the group together by rushing Carole, Jenilee, and Mr. Kunz to the next location. Suffice to say, this is the result of our hard work.

6. Theoretical Interpretation: Brand

Surroundings – The frame of the picture from 1900 emcompasses the site itself, and large building to the right, and the pier in the background. In the re-photo, there is a modern high-rise building towards the pier, and the large building to the right has been replaced by a newer one.
Site – The site itself is well preserved, and has not changed.
Structure (what holds up the building) – No change.
Services (water, electricity, phone, network) – Not applicable.
Skin (paint, windows, details) – The direct area around the monument has possibly been maintained over years of public use and the actual monument has been serviced with as little change as possible. The landscaping around inside the gates of the monument has been altered (i.e. palm trees removed).
Space plan (use and configuration of spaces and rooms) – No change.
Stuff – Guards have been added since building was declared protected in 1979.

7. Theoretical Interpretation: Alexander

· Seen patterns:

o 61. Small public squares: This is one of the main squares of the city, located right at the entrance from the port.

o 66. Holy ground: though the statue commemorates a Chilean hero, the site itself would not be considered holy ground according to Alexander because it is easily accessible

o It is at sea level, so the high places pattern (62) is not applicable, and is an outdoor site rather than a building, so patterns such as number of stories (96), building complex (95), and the four story limit (21) do not apply

· Unseen patterns:

o 125. Stair seats: the stairs of the statue are off-limits, and the plaza does not offer any other stairs or places to seat oneself.

o 69. Public outdoor room and 163. Outdoor room: The plaza is too big and not enclosed enough (though lined with buildings on two sides) to be considered an outdoor room