Central Area

The Punta Arenas Cemetery, created in 1894, occupies 8 hectares and was the second cemetery of the city, as the previous one became insufficient after 30 years of use. At that time, Punta Arenas was a development hub due to its strategic location between the Atlantic and Pacific. The economy revolved around maritime trade, livestock, sea lion hunting, and, to a lesser extent, gold extraction in Tierra del Fuego and Magallanes. Maritime trade also boosted social life, and many houses in the city center had balconies that allowed observing the arrival of ships from Europe, often with relatives of settlers fleeing wars. Wealthy families contributed to the city's development with significant donations for schools, monuments, a theater, and the central portico of the cemetery, built between 1918 and 1923. This portico, in eclectic style with neobaroque lines, was designed by architects Trouve and Ciscutti, with ornaments by Pascual Borich, and features a central chapel and two main entrances.