LA CHASCONA - CASA DE PABLO NERUDA

This house of character and atypical architecture, located at the foot of Cerro San Cristobal, was one of the residences of Pablo Neruda, the great Chilean poet, and Matilde Urrutia. In 1953, Neruda initiated the construction of this house for Matilde, his secret love at the time. "La Chascona" is named after his beloved and her voluptuous red hair. The construction of the house was entrusted to the Catalan architect Germán Rodríguez Arias. He did his best to meet the expectations and visions of the two lovers: the terrain was steep and the construction plan had to be rethought again and again. This crazy and secret project was carried out behind the back of Delia del Carril, Neruda's wife, from whom he finally separated in 1955. The house is unconventional, with a real interior atmosphere and a singular layout. Inside the house is a portrait of Matilde with two heads painted by the famous Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The latter was a close friend of the couple. During the military coup, the Chascona was vandalized and the house was even flooded. Matilde Urrutia insisted on holding Neruda's funeral there, which he died twelve days later. As in the house on Isla Negra and in Valparaíso, part of the poet's collections and his library can be seen here. The house is full of personal objects, furniture and richly decorated rooms. It is also the seat of the Neruda Foundation.