The Plaza de Armas derived its name from when the Spaniards used this square as a military training ground in the mid-16th century. Over the centuries, the Plaza became the social, political and religious center of Santiago. Its boundaries are still defined by historic landmarks including the Municipality of Santiago building (1790), the Royal Court Palace (1808), Portal Fernández Concha (1871), the Central Post Office Building (1908) and the iconic Metropolitan Cathedral (1775 ) reflected here in the modern Edificio Plaza de Armas high-rise.
