Toconao Bell Tower – Toconao, Chile - Atlas Obscura

Toconao Bell Tower

Toconao, Chile

This 18th-century tower is locally iconic. 

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When the Spanish colonizers founded Tocano three centuries ago, one of the first structures they built was a church. The church, which was constructed in 1744, still stands today. It was made from local materials such as volcanic rocks extracted from a nearby quarry, and has cactus wood and palm tree roofing bound with mud and clay.

This bell tower was built in a similar way. It has unique architecture and was also built with local material. The light material meant the structure could be built higher and more slender than other buildings. Both the tower and church were declared National Monuments and are currently maintained by the congregation of nuns from the order Jesus Verbo y Víctima. 

Know Before You Go

The town is basically centered around this tower and many tourists visit it for just this reason. You will find small souvenir shops around it but the rest of the town is still relatively untouched. 

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August 21, 2019

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