94 PUBLIC EDIFICES. [1839. 



the remaining side is occupied by private residences. All 

 these buildings, except the cathedral, are built of brick, 

 plastered over and whitewashed, and show more or less 

 marks of the injuries occasioned by the frequent earthquakes. 

 The palace, originally built for the vice-regal government, 

 makes the most pretensions to architectural beauty ; it con- 

 sists of two stories surrounding a large open quadrangle ; in 

 the lower story are the armory and treasury, — in the upper, 

 the great hall of audience and the ministerial offices. 



The cathedral is the only stone edifice in the city ; the 

 material of which it is constructed was quarried in the suburb 

 of La Chimba ; its design is Moorish, and has been executed 

 with considerable taste and skill ; it is a large and extensive 

 building, and contains, inside, an abundance of gold and silver 

 ornaments, paintings, tapestry, and wax figures. The parish 

 churches are comparatively mean structures ; but the con- 

 ventual establishments, of which there are many, are well 

 built and furnished. The bishop's palace is a heavy, sombre- 

 looking building, fast going to decay. The largest public 

 edifice in Santiago is the mint, which covers a whole square. 

 To most strangers it seems unsightly enough, but the natives 

 really look upon it with admiration. It is of plain brick, and 

 like the other buildings erected for state purposes, was con- 

 structed by bricklayers sent out from Spain expressly for 

 this purpose. Its front presents a series of heavy pilasters, 

 supporting a rude cornice and ponderous balustrade, in the 

 centre of which is a massive arched portico. It is still in- 

 complete, and is much dilapidated, principally by reason of 

 the earthquakes. It consists of a variety of offices arranged 

 round three quadrangular courts. Few of the modern im- 

 provements have been introduced here, and the operation of 

 coining is still in a rude state. The Consulddo, a spacious 

 structure, plastered and whitewashed, in which the commer- 

 cial tribunal, and the national congress, meet, is also worthy 

 of notice. Santiago likewise boasts of a custom-house, a 

 theatre, and a chingdno. There is a national college, too, 

 occupying what was formerly one of the Jesuits' convents: 



