The downtown area has been declared typical by the presence of some buildings of great historical value and the checkerboard layout, traditional Spanish towns in America, designed by Italian architect Joaquín Toesca and Ricci. At the center of the checkerboard is the Plaza de Armas, with three levels, only in Chile, and balance octagonal gardens, walkways, fountains and monuments.
Facing it is the Parroquia de Santa Rosa de Los Andes. The present church, dating from the 1950's, is the third stands in this place. The first dates from 1795, with two small towers, attributed to the architect Joaquín Toesca, which withstood the quake de1822 but collapsed with the 1851. In 1804 he was elevated to the Parish by Bishop Francis Joseph Maran and Geldres. This temple was Muzzi mission sent by Pope Gregory XVI to study the recognition of national independence. In this mission came the priest Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti, the future Pope Pius IX.
The second temple, a neoclassical style, was a tower located in the center, with a clock brought from France. The tower is damaged by the earthquakes of 1906 and 1939, finally decided in 1949 to its demolition. In 1955 he built the present parish church, designed by architects Fernando Ezequiel Fontecilla and must, calculated by the engineer Carlos Infante in 1949. It comprises a set of two volumes, nave and tower together by an arcade. The ship basilica, is the plant with a height of 15 m gable roof and two sides with 10 m separated by an arcade with round arches of Romanesque character. The bell tower rises 30 meters on a square of 4.5 × 4.5 m, and its location on the corner and height make it the foundation milestone in the checkerboard. The main facade is symmetrical composition, has a portico with three openings that end in round arch, with marked vertical direction. Its interior contains images polychrome great artistic value, such as San Sebastian, made in natural size by Father Juan Bitterich and James Kellner, of the Society of Jesus in the seventeenth century. It also highlights the great Christ of the altar and the image of Lord of the Poor, colonial, painted and dressed as an image of Christ the King on his throne, barefoot and begging.
Another temple that stands in the Andes, is the parish of Santo Cristo de la Salud, the Passionist Fathers. These men, arrived in 1918 to the city for apostolic and missionary work focused on the Passion and Cross of Christ, they settled on land donated by Mrs. Dolores de la Fuente. In 1935 began the construction of the novitiate and the Temple of Catalan Romanesque style, designed by architect José Forteza. It was built brick by themselves religious, with beautiful stained glass, and finished by 1951. In its interior the image of Santo Cristo de la Salud, brought by the parents from Spain. It is a replica of Christ Clean, located in Santander, Spain. The story goes that a severe epidemic of smallpox struck the town, leaving hundreds of casualties. Religious enable a hospice to care for the sick, even one of the contracted religious evil.
However, to entrust themselves to Christ, many patients were cured of this disease then incurable, and even today has many devotees. His feast is celebrated with great solemnity on 27 each month, which imposes the anointing of the sick and the Holy Mass is celebrated. The main festival of the Christ is the last Sunday of November.
Spanish also are the images of Our Lady of Holy Hope, San Jose and San Roque, who preside over the apse, under which is the tabernacle of precious marble. Next to the altar is the altar and image of St. Gemma Galgani, a young Italian woman of the early twentieth century who lived an intense life of prayer, penance and charity, following the call of his beloved Jesus. Could not fulfill his desire to be a Passionist religious because it was very unhealthy. He had several visions and received the gift of the stigmata. His intercession wake of numerous faithful devotion to fourteen days each month come to the temple to attend the Mass and venerate his relics, preserved in a beautiful reliquary.
Other important temples are the Parish of the Assumption, built in the late nineteenth century by the religious Assumption and demolished after the 1985 earthquake that left her with severe damage. Since then passed to belong to the Diocese of San Felipe, who was in charge of reconstruction, completed in 1990. The present church, smaller preserves reminiscences of the old architecture and beautiful relics of it, as the image of the Assumption of the Virgin, who chairs the presbytery, and the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament, next to the altar. At the back lies a grotto of Lourdes, to which, as tradition would have prayed Santa Teresa de Los Andes on their first visit before entering the Carmelite Monastery.
The Our Lady of Fatima Parish, built as such in 1958 by Bishop Fray Bernardino Roberto Berrios ofm, is located in the historic district Centenary, which emerged in the early twentieth century. The parish grew out of a small chapel that had previously existed in the sector. His style is transitional between the contemporary and trend preconciliar Temple procession. It is chaired by the image of the Blessed Virgin, and it is cultivated from many years of devotion to the Rosary and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Some national monuments are the Provincial Government and Mail, neoclassical style, located off the Plaza de Armas.
So, is the Convent of the Holy Spirit of the Order of Discalced Carmelites. Here lived his religious consecration Santa Teresa de los Andes (1900-1920) who entered the monastery with the name of Teresa of Jesus. Only eleven months might be in this place, where he died on April 12, 1920, after taking their vows. She was buried in the cemetery of the convent, and in 1940 his remains were moved to the choir Low (place from which the sisters participated in the liturgy without being seen, protected by a fence and curtains that can still be seen), along with the new chapel (also a National Monument, Gothic style with beautiful stained glass windows that tell the stories of the Virgen del Carmen, Carmelite saints and prophets Elijah and Elisha). Here they remained with her Carmelite Sisters until October 18, 1987, when they were transferred along with the new convent and religious sanctuary Auco commune of Rinconada. Currently, the monastery belongs to the Diocese of San Felipe and he is a museum that recalls Theresa, who was canonized by Pope John Paul II el21 March 1993. In Monasterio, vaulted brick Romanesque cloisters, courtyards are preserved and there are three religious museum in the cells of the second floor, objects belonging to Santa Teresa and recreations of scenes from his life. It also remains the garden with a grotto of Lourdes where the Virgin was talking to Theresa. Outside, there is a grotto of St. Teresa donated by the Andean city, whose side walls can still be seen plaques of appreciation from the mid-twentieth century.
Other national monuments are the house of the poet and Nobel Prize Gabriela Mistral, and the mailing house built by order of Ambrosio O'Higgins. The first, located in the area of Coquimbito, was inhabited by the poet between 1912 and 1918 when he was master of the Lyceum for Girls in Los Andes, located where today stands the Italian Circle. The second shelter is located next to military Juncal, the Way International.
In addition, the commune has beautiful natural attractions. In urban areas stands the Cerro de la Virgen, a great diversity of vegetation. At the top is located the image of the Immaculate Virgin of the Valley, built by the parish priest Fr. Quiterio Guesalaga in 1902, aroused great devotion. At the foot of the hill is now also housed the Municipal Library Emeterio Brother Joseph. In rural areas, we highlight the Natural Monument White River Valley, where there is great diversity in flora and fauna, attract your attention the presence of animals such as pumas and impressive condors. Other natural attractions include El Salto del Soldado (where the legend of the patriot soldier who, fleeing Spanish persecution, horse jumping over a huge precipice under which flows the river) and the high mountains, near the center of Ski Portillo (one of the most modern in the country), there is the beautiful Laguna del Inca. Going to the border with Argentina, lies the statue of Christ the Redeemer, Argentine sculptor Mateo Alonso, opened on March 13, 1904 to witness peace between Chile and Argentina.
