Basílica del Salvador, Santiago

The Basílica del Salvador in Santiago is a monumental neo-Gothic brick church begun in the late nineteenth century, intended as one of the grandest in the country. Successive earthquakes, especially in the twentieth century, left it heavily damaged and long closed, and its dramatic ruined interior has become a striking symbol of both ambition and loss. Efforts to stabilise and restore the structure continue. Even in its fragile state the towering nave and rows of pointed arches convey the scale intended by its builders.