Leaving Cuzco, he traveled down the continent and gazed upon the valley at the point where the Mapocho and Maipo Rivers descend from the Andes on their journey to the Pacific Ocean.
Valdivia marked the center of colonial Santiago with the Plaza de Armas and his house was located where the central Post Office now stands. Today, this clean, tree-lined square is a haven for men, young and old playing chess together, shoe shiners, artists, and lovers.