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    Montegrande
    Arturo Rinaldi Villegas / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Chile

    Montegrande

    VillageCulture

    Montegrande is a small village in the Río-Claro Valley between Paihuano and Pisco Elqui, where Gabriela Mistral spent her childhood.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Chile
    7. Elqui Valley (Valle del Elqui)
    9. Montegrande
    Montegrande is a small village in the Río-Claro Valley between Paihuano and Pisco Elqui, where Gabriela Mistral spent her childhood. The Casa Escuela, where she learned to read, and her grave on the edge of the village make it the most important memorial site for the poet.

    Sehenswürdigkeiten

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Tomb of Gabriela Mistral

    1Tomb of Gabriela Mistral

    At her own request, the Nobel laureate in Literature was laid to rest in Montegrande; her remains were transferred here from Santiago in March 1960. The mausoleum on a hill at the edge of town has been a National Monument since 1961.
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    Casa Escuela Gabriela Mistral
    Museum

    2Casa Escuela Gabriela Mistral

    Gabriela Mistral spent her childhood in the single-story adobe brick schoolhouse from about age three to nine; her older sister was a teacher here. The house has been a National Monument since 1979 and a museum since 1980, featuring photographs, period furniture, and personal belongings.
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    Church of Montegrande

    3Church of Montegrande

    The small neoclassical village church on the Plaza dates from the late 19th century and was restored in 1999. Here Gabriela Mistral received her First Communion in 1896, and her former schoolhouse is located opposite.
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    Essen & Trinken

    Dining & Drinks in Montegrande

    Montegrande itself has only a few restaurants; most can be found in nearby Pisco Elqui. Typical for the valley are Pisco and rustic dishes.

    Pisco

    A few kilometers upstream from Pisco Elqui are the Los Nichos and Doña Josefa distilleries, offering tours and tastings.

    Empanadas

    Baked dough pockets with cheese or Pino are a basic offering in simple eateries throughout the valley.

    Papaya Products

    The Chilean mountain papaya is sold in the valley as compote, jam, or preserved in syrup.

    Gabriela Mistral in Montegrande

    Childhood in the SchoolhouseLucila Godoy Alcayaga, later Gabriela Mistral, came to Montegrande as a toddler. Her older half-sister Emelina taught at the rural school and lived with the family in the schoolhouse. Here, Lucila received her first lessons; in the village church, she received her First Communion in 1896. The adobe Casa Escuela was declared a National Monument in 1979 and has been a museum since 1980.The Poet's TombMistral died in the USA in 1957 and was initially buried in the Cementerio General in Santiago. She had wished to be buried in Montegrande; in March 1960, her remains were transferred here. The mausoleum has been a National Monument since 1961.Beyond the memory of Mistral, viticulture and Pisco shape the village. Distilleries are located in the surrounding area, and the church on the plaza is the center of local festivals.

    Getting there and around in Montegrande

    Getting ThereMontegrande is located on road D-485 between Paihuano and Pisco Elqui. Buses from La Serena and Vicuña towards Pisco Elqui stop here, and colectivos are also available from Vicuña.Getting AroundOn Foot: The Plaza, Casa Escuela, and Grab are close to each other and can be visited on foot in about an hour.To Pisco Elqui: You can reach the neighbouring village by bus, colectivo, bicycle, or a longer walk along the road.To Cochiguaz: The unpaved road to the side valley starts in town. Public transport connections are limited, so your own car is the best option.

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    Nearby

    Pisco Elqui

    Pisco Elqui

    Pisco Elqui, located at around 1,300 meters in the upper Río Claro Valley, has borne the name of the grape brandy distilled here since 1936. The village, with its small plaza, is surrounded by vineyards and barren mountain slopes, serving many travelers as a base for distillery visits, stargazing, and excursions to Cochiguaz.
    Elqui Valley (Valle del Elqui)

    Elqui Valley (Valle del Elqui)

    The Elqui Valley is a dry Andean valley in northern Chile, where Pisco is distilled and research observatories stand under one of the darkest night skies in the world. You come for the visitor observatories, the distilleries nestled between green vineyards and barren mountainsides, and for the traces of the poet Gabriela Mistral.The valley stretches eastward from La Serena on the Pacific coast into the precordillera of the Región de Coquimbo; Vicuña is its main town.
    Vicuña

    Vicuña

    Vicuña is the main town of the Elqui Valley and the birthplace of the poet Gabriela Mistral. Around the shady Plaza de Armas with the red Torre Bauer, you'll find museums, Pisco distilleries, and eateries. In the evenings, tours to the surrounding observatories depart from here.
    Aconcagua Provincial Park

    Aconcagua Provincial Park

    Aconcagua, at 6,961 meters, is the highest mountain in the Americas. The provincial park protecting it is located about 180 kilometers west of Mendoza on Ruta Nacional 7 towards Chile, just past Puente del Inca and approximately 15 kilometers before the border. The drive there passes the Potrerillos reservoir and through the Andean village of Uspallata.Even without summit ambitions, a visit is worthwhile: A short circular trail leads to Laguna de Horcones with views of the massive south face; those with more time can hike in a day to the first base camp, Confluencia. For all trails, you need a permit, which you acquire in advance. The main season for trekking and ascents runs from mid-November to mid-March. Just before the park, a stop at Puente del Inca, a natural rock bridge over the river, is recommended.
    Mendoza and the Andes

    Mendoza and the Andes

    Mendoza Province at the foot of the Andes is Argentina's most significant wine region: This is where most of the country's grapes grow, primarily Malbec. In a dry valley where only a small part of the soil is cultivable, irrigation channels make the landscape green. West of the capital, the road to Chile ascends to Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas.The region is most pleasant in autumn, when the grape harvest runs from late February to April, and in spring from September to November.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons. Each photo carries its credit.
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