History
Parque del Estrecho de Magallanes, located 50 km south of Punta Arenas, Region of Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, houses the National Historic Monuments “Fuerte Bulnes” and “Ciudad Rey Don Felipe” (“Puerto del Hambre”), as well as a “Museo del Estrecho” with Museum Rooms that complement the knowledge about the historical and patrimonial richness of the Strait of Magellan through an avant-garde exhibition and a unique attraction in the Region.
The Park has 250 hectares with coastal border and Magellanic forest presenting a great diversity of fauna and flora native to the region, which is possible to appreciate by walking the almost 4 km of trails (through the Forest and Coast) that connect, in the case of the “Sendero de la Costa” trail, different viewpoints with views of the big island of Tierra del Fuego, Strait of Magellan, Mount Tarn and San Isidro Lighthouse among others, and in the case of the “Bosque de los Carpinteros” trail, the Museo del Estrecho with Fuerte Bulnes.
In the Gift Shop of the Museo del Estrecho of the Park you will find a wide regional bibliography and articles made by local artisans among others; likewise in the “Café del Estrecho” a varied menu with products made in the same Park.
Every year we are visited from different parts of the world, Chile and the same region of Magallanes, by travelers and students who come to learn about the history of the settlement of the southern tip of the continent, to learn about the flora and fauna found on the peninsula or to enjoy the nature and richness of the ecosystem of Punta Santa Ana.
Historical Background
Undoubtedly one of the most relevant historical and geographical places of the southernmost tip of the American continent where the National Historical Monuments “Fuerte Bulnes” and “Ciudad Rey Don Felipe” (“Puerto del Hambre”) are located, both representing the first attempts of settlement by the western culture in the basin of the Strait of Magellan; both attempts separated by almost 300 years.
The origins of the Parque del Estrecho de Magallanes date back to the 1920s, when remains of the original Fort that had existed between 1843 and 1852 were found and later rebuilt (1940s).
In the 1950s, the original site of the former Spanish colony “Rey Don Felipe” (or also known as “Puerto del Hambre”) was discovered, which gradually led to archaeological work with relevant findings.
In the 1990s, the regional government decided to protect and manage all these heritage resources under the same management model, and thus the idea of consolidating them all in the “Parque Histórico Rey Don Felipe” was born (1999).
In 2017, at the request of the current administration, the Ministry of National Assets officially decreed the change of name of the Park, arguing that the diversity of heritage resources contained therein are representative of both the natural and human history of the territory. Thus, it was agreed to incorporate the name of the Strait of Magellan (“Estrecho de Magallanes”) to provide a universal, integral and impartial framework, instead of using a specific historical fact. The Park also protects archaeological sites that indicate human presence for thousands of years, in addition to being home to various forms of life representative of the territory. It is located on the coast, between the “Carrera” and “San Juan” bays, and occupies the peninsula called “Punta Santa Ana”, which is a rocky promontory with panoramic views of the landscape.
The park also protects archaeological sites that indicate human presence for thousands of years, as well as being home to various forms of life representative of the territory. It is located on the coast, between Carrera and San Juan bays, and occupies the peninsula called Punta Santa Ana, which is a rocky promontory with panoramic views of the landscape.
