La Sebastiana

La Sebastiana is a house museum, which originally belonged to the great national poet Pablo Neruda.

Before living there, the Nobel Prize for Literature had commissioned some friends to find something to escape from Santiago's fatigue: "I want to find in Valparaiso a little house to live and write in peace. It has to have some conditions. It can't be too high or too low. It must be lonely, but not too lonely. Neighbors, hopefully invisible. They must not be seen or heard. Original, but not uncomfortable. Very winged, but firm. Not too big, not too small. Away from everything but close to mobilization. Independent, but with commerce nearby. Besides, it has to be very cheap. Do you think I can find a house like that in Valparaiso?", were the poet's words.

And well, he made it. The house was inaugurated on September 18, 1961 with a memorable party. Each of the guests was also included in a "List of Unforgettable Merits", which highlighted the help they had given to convert that abandoned thick work, in "La Sebastiana", as Neruda named it in honor of its first owner and builder Sebastian Collado.

In the house are preserved collections of old maps, navies and other paintings, including a portrait of Lord Cochrane and an oil painting that shows José Miguel Carrera shortly before being shot. There are many other relics from the port and curious pieces, such as music boxes and an old carved wooden merry-go-round horse. Without a doubt, a must-see when visiting Valparaíso.