2009-03-23T18:29:51Z <p><b>Valparaíso</b> (literally in <span title='Spanish language'>Spanish</span>: <i>Valle Paraíso</i> <i>(Paradise Valley)</i> and also called "Valpo" locally) is a city in central <a href='/en/Chile' title='Chile'>Chile</a> and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasingly vital cultural center in the hemisphere's Pacific Southwest. The city is the capital of the <span title='Valparaíso Region'>Region of Valparaíso</span>. Although <a href='/en/Santiago%2C_Chile' title='Santiago, Chile'>Santiago</a> is Chile's official capital, Valparaiso houses the <span title='National Congress of Chile'>National Congress</span>.</p> <p>Valparaíso played an important geopolitical role in the second half of the 19th century, when the city served as a major stopover for ships traveling between the <a href='/en/Atlantic_Ocean' class='mw-redirect' title='Atlantic'>Atlantic</a> and <a href='/en/Pacific_Ocean' class='mw-redirect' title='Pacific'>Pacific</a> oceans by crossing the <span class='mw-redirect' title='Straits of Magellan'>Straits of Magellan</span>. Always a magnet for European immigrants, Valparaíso mushroomed during its golden age, when the city was known by international sailors as “Little <a href='/en/San_Francisco' title='San Francisco'>San Francisco</a>” and “The Jewel of the <a href='/en/Pacific_Ocean' class='mw-redirect' title='Pacific'>Pacific</a>.”</p> <p>Examples of Valparaíso’s former glory include <span title='Latin America'>Latin America</span>’s oldest <span title='Stock exchange'>stock exchange</span>, the continent’s first volunteer <span title='Fire department'>fire department</span>, Chile’s first <span title='Public library'>public library</span>, and the oldest <span title='Spanish language'>Spanish language</span> newspaper in continuous publication in the world. The opening of the <a href='/en/Panama_Canal' title='Panama Canal'>Panama Canal</a> and reduction in ship traffic dealt a staggering blow to Valparaíso, though the city has staged an impressive renaissance in recent years.</p> false fotopedia-en-Valparaíso fotopedia Valparaíso false 2009-07-07T09:54:25Z 3.58481 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z ["flickr-3893063696","flickr-2721744152","flickr-2144443225","flickr-116643735","bibiweb-A2RAkaio1Ms","flickr-3718083252","bibiweb-ivCA1vIFfcU","bibiweb-ealuGUQq8xI","bibiweb-N2Dmn1zWJz0","bibiweb-n1q_M1whnqQ","bibiweb-gO4Q2fTNBQc","bibiweb-Jzq4wBOkGK4","bibiweb-anJbpe_nQbo","bibiweb-297s_l5yk3Q","bibiweb-kyktD8x6zYs","bibiweb-5S7Cz5vbSag","bibiweb-wQsS7aN4YfQ","bibiweb-qAdK3ldl5RI","bibiweb-7PNo7i6RO6Y","bibiweb-jzmkuojvi4w","bibiweb-FvXyVFOcL7E","bibiweb-uEQpwSfYke4","bibiweb-BmAEBwQ5vZk","bibiweb-sDDUrtHQzws","bibiweb-03lI6_3rbuo","flickr-16830093"] default