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Historic settlement · Pisco Elqui, Coquimbo
Montegrande
Settlement 4 km from Pisco Elqui where Gabriela Mistral spent her childhood. It has the Casa Escuela, a museum, a 19th‑century church and the poet’s tomb, in a typically protected area.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Montegrande
Montegrande is a village in the Claro River valley, about 4 km from Pisco Elqui, connected to the memory of Gabriela Mistral, the Chilean poet who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945. She was born in Vicuña in 1889, but lived in Montegrande from ages three to nine and called the place her land.
The Casa Escuela, where she lived and began her studies, was declared a historic monument in 1979 and has operated as a museum since 1980. It is a simple one-story adobe building, like the old houses of the valley.
Mistral died in 1957 in the United States and requested in her will to be buried in Montegrande. Her remains were brought to the village in 1961, to a mausoleum on a hill south of the square. The path to the tomb has panels with excerpts from her work and life. The tomb is also a historic monument.
The village church, of neoclassical inspiration, was handed over to the community at the end of the 19th century; Mistral took her first communion there in 1896. Since 1990, the area between the Casa Escuela and the mausoleum, including the church and the small square, is a protected typical zone.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About an hour and a half for the Casa Escuela, the church, and the climb to the tomb.
Best time
In the morning, before the strong heat, to climb the path to the tomb. The Casa Escuela follows museum hours; check before you go.
How to get there
It is on the road between Paihuano and Pisco Elqui, about 4 km from the village. Buses that go up the valley stop in Montegrande; by car it's a few minutes.
Tip
Bring water and a hat for the climb to the tomb, which is short but exposed to the sun. If you want to learn more about the poet’s life, you can also visit the museum dedicated to her in Vicuña.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Montegrande
Was Gabriela Mistral born in Montegrande?
No. She was born in Vicuña in 1889, but lived in Montegrande from ages three to nine and considered the village her homeland. That is why she asked to be buried there.
What is the Casa Escuela of Montegrande?
The rural house and school where Gabriela Mistral lived in childhood and received her first education. It has been a historic monument since 1979 and has operated as a museum since 1980.
Where is Gabriela Mistral’s tomb located?
On a hill south of Montegrande’s square. A path with panels about the poet’s life and work leads to the mausoleum.