Sights

Rural San Fernando [1] has no eye-popping attractions, but Hacienda Los Lingues [2] is one of South America’s elite—though not totally elitist—resorts, and those exploring the countryside will find some absorbing surprises in addition to the wineries [3].

In San Fernando [1] proper, several landmarks are national monuments. On the north side of the Plaza de Armas, the two-story, neoclassical Liceo de Hombres Neandro Schilling (boys’ school, Argomedo and Valdivia) dates from 1846.

Three blocks south, the 1891 Iglesia de San Francisco (Valdivia and Manuel Rodríguez) has a clock tower with an unusual onion-shaped dome.

Several blocks northwest of the plaza, adjacent to the hospital, the 1899 Capilla San Juan de Dios (Negrete s/n), a brick building with elaborate filigree cornices, suffered unfortunate damage in the 1985 earthquake.

Two blocks north, the Casa Patronal del Fundo de Lircunlauta (Jiménez and Av. Manso de Velasco) belonged to Juan Jiménez de León; now a museum (tel. 072/717326), it’s open 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Sunday. Admission costs US$1 for adults, US$0.20 for children.