Museo Lord Cochrane

Castillo San José was one of the most important defensive constructions in the city of Valparaíso, in Region V, whose ruins are located on the Cordillera hill. The fortification was completed in the year 1692 and was built with the aim of defending the port from the attacks of the European corsairs who at the time ravaged the region; being inserted into a network of forts that were raised in the bay for these purposes. With the passage of time, the facilities of the Castillo San José deteriorated, but it was not until the earthquake of 1822 that its total destruction occurred, leaving the place in ruins. Some time later, in the year 1840, a property subdivision was made, its lands were finished, and this sector of the hill began to assume its contemporary disposition. One of the children of the property on which the fortress was located was acquired by the Scottish watchmaker Juan Mouat, who installed his home there, on what is believed to be the military plaza of Castillo San José. The house, which dates from 1843, is a colonial-style building that is still in place, on Calle Merlet No. 195, making it one of the oldest buildings in the city, in which Mouat built “the first astronomical observatory on the Pacific coast ”. In general terms, the house has a colonial-type floor plan, raised in adobe and Spanish tiles, with a structure with corridors organized around a central patio, whose facades are dominated by horizontal axes. However, it is also possible to appreciate some neoclassical elements adapted to the 19th century port lifestyle, such as open rooms with views of the bay, viewpoints, exterior corridors and decorative elements on the facade. Due to the deterioration that the property has suffered over the years and the frequent telluric movements that have affected the region, the house has had to be restored in order to remain in use. Declared a Historical Monument on March 19, 1963, it was acquired by the Municipality of Valparaíso and currently houses the Lord Cochrane Sea Museum, where pieces related to the country's naval history are exhibited.