La Obra

A short distance east of Las Vizcachas [1], 790 meters above sea level, La Obra was a stop on the military railroad that once climbed from Puente Alto to El Volcán; its Estación La Obra is a national monument.

Directly on the highway, Hostería El Tucán (La Obra 675, tel. 02/8711089, www.eltucan.cl [2], US$40 pp with full board) is also a popular dining spot that appeals to the masses. It seats up to 200 people.

Just east of La Obra, the rise known as Cuesta las Chilcas was the site of the Frente Patriótico Manuel Rodríguez’s 1986 assassination attempt on General Pinochet as he returned to Santiago [3] from his El Melocotón [4] country house. Five of Pinochet’s bodyguards died in a hail of bullets and a rocket launcher attack, but his chauffeur’s skilled driving saved the dictator’s life. Pinochet’s admirers have commemorated the event with a monument honoring his bodyguards.