Providencia, Chile

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Palacio Falabella, the current Providencia city hall, located on Pedro de Valdivia Ave.

Providencia (Spanish: "providence") is a commune of Chile located in Santiago Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. Part of Greater Santiago, it is bordered by the communes of Santiago to the west, Recoleta to the northwest, Las Condes and Vitacura to the northeast, La Reina to the east, and Ñuñoa to the south.

Providencia is home to a large upper-middle-class population and it holds the region's highest percentage of population over 60 (21.51%). It contains many high-rise apartment buildings as well as a significant portion of Santiago's commerce. It is served by the Santiago Metro's Lines 1, 4 and 5.

Providencia includes Barrio Suecia, an area filled with pubs and nightclubs, and Barrio Bellavista, a bohemian area populated with artists and performers. The latter lies in the shadow of Cerro San Cristóbal, a prominent hill in the city topped by a 22 m statue of The Virgin Mary. The north of Providencia is its financial and commercial district (centered on Providencia Ave., a major shopping street), while the remainder of it contains high-priced residential development.

Other notable areas of interest in Providencia include the Metropolitan Zoo, the Teleférico (an aerial gondola that transports people from the foot of Pedro de Valdivia Avenue to the top of San Cristóbal Hill), several television networks, Radio Cooperativa, and the Mormon temple. The municipality is also home to many embassies, including those of Italy, Russia, China, and Uruguay.