'''O'Higgins Park''' (Spanish: Parque O'Higgins), named after Bernardo_O'Higgins, Chile's founding father, is Santiago,_Chile's biggest public park. It is located in the center of the capital, in the Santiago municipality. Measuring about 190 acres (767,000 m²), it is about a fourth the size of Manhattan's Central_Park. The park is a popular place for families to visit during weekends and holidays, especially during the national holiday (September_18), when a number of ''fondas'' and ''Ramadas'' —a traditional Chilean place for dancing, eating and drinking— are open to the public for a few days. == Infrastructure == The park contains several structures like the Field_of_Mars (Campos de Marte) —also known as The Ellipse, for its shape—, where every September_19, the Military_parade takes place; the Little Town (''pueblito'') consists in a small street surrounded by shops and museums. Fantasilandia, an Amusement_park is located on its northwestern corner. There is also a public pool, sport fields and a stadium. The park itself has several paths that cover its extension and there is also an artificial lake. == History == The present day park is the result of gradual evolution over its history. The site was originally called "Pampilla" or "El Llano", as it was a flat wasteland where people spontaneously gathered to celebrate the national holydays. The government bought this great extension of unused land in 1845, edificating on it several buildings, such as a Jail, a Military School and a few others. In 1870, the government gave the northern portion of the terrain to the rich heir and Philanthropist Luis_Cousiño, who inspired by the parks he saw in Europe —like Hyde Park in London or the Bois_de_Boulogne in Paris— decided to give one to his own city. The park was inaugurated in January of 1873 and was named ''Parque Cousiño'' to honor its creator. The name of the traditional Cousiño Park was changed in 1972 to its current name. Category:Santiago Es:Parque_O'Higgins