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At the top of Cerro Alegre you will find two things – Baburizza Palace and amazing views of the UNESCO World Heritage listed port city of Valparaíso on Paseo Yugoslavo.
Baburizza Palace
Baburizza Palace (Palacio Baburizza) was built in 1916 for Italian saltpeter tycoon Ottorino Zanelli and bought by Croatian immigrant Pascual Baburizza in 1925. It’s interesting to walk around the perimeter of the house to admire some of the quirky design elements.
Baburizza Palace has been the city’s Fine Arts Museum (Museo de Bellas Artes) since 1971. It underwent a total restoration that took 14 years, starting in 1997 with the museum finally reopening in 2011. Admission for foreigners is CLP$4,000 (as of July 2023), which includes a complementary audio guide in English, French, or Portuguese.
There weren’t too many interesting pieces in the museum but the house is pretty cool if you’re into architecture. If not, skip it, save money, and see it from the outside.
Paseo Yugoslavo
After checking out Baburizza Palace, the views from Paseo Yugoslavo are excellent. You’re able to see the hills next door along with the port.
Astoreca Palace
Behind Baburizza Palace is another mansion, Astoreca Palace (Palacio Astoreca). It’s now a boutique hotel.
Ascensor El Peral
When you’re done admiring the views and the architecture, take Ascensor El Peral back down to the bottom of Cerro Alegre. Ascensor El Peral opened in 1901.
Court of Appeals
At the bottom of Ascensor El Peral, there’s a big, narrow building that looks like a courthouse. It is, in fact, a courthouse. The Court of Appeals (Corte de Apelaciones) was built in 1939 and features a very odd statue of Lady Justice in front. She’s not blindfolded and her scale is hanging by her side. I wouldn’t feel confident walking into a courthouse with a statue like that!
