# La Portada

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/La_Portada
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/La_Portada.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Portada
> Source revision: 1339954798
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

La Portada Natural Monument IUCN category III (natural monument or feature) La Portada Natural Monument Interactive map of La Portada Natural Monument Location Antofagasta Region, Chile Coordinates 23°30′23″S 70°25′37″W / 23.50639°S 70.42694°W / -23.50639; -70.42694 Area 0.3127 km2 Governing body Corporación Nacional Forestal

**La Portada** ([Spanish](/source/Spanish_language): "The Gateway") is a [natural arch](/source/Natural_arch) on the coast of [Chile](/source/Chile), 18 km (11 mi) north of [Antofagasta](/source/Antofagasta).[1] It is one of fifteen natural monuments included among the [protected areas of Chile](/source/Protected_areas_of_Chile).

There is another similar but smaller structure in the [spa town](/source/Spa_town) of [Pucatrihue](/source/Pucatrihue), [Osorno Province](/source/Osorno_Province).

## Description

See also: [Coastal Cliff of northern Chile](/source/Coastal_Cliff_of_northern_Chile), [La Portada Formation](/source/La_Portada_Formation), and [La Negra Formation](/source/La_Negra_Formation)

The La Portada Natural Monument covers an area of 31.27 [hectares](/source/Hectare) (77.27 [acres](/source/Acre)), and its geomorphological features and remaining fossils stand out in the form of an arch.

The arch of La Portada is 43 m (140 ft) high, 23 m (75 ft) wide, and 70 m (230 ft) long. It has a base of black [andesite](/source/Andesite) stone, around which are arranged marine [sedimentary rocks](/source/Sedimentary_rock), a stratum of yellowing [sandstone](/source/Sandstone), and layers of the remaining fossils of shells dating back 35 to 2 million years ago.[1] All this was formed during a long process of marine erosion.

The arch is surrounded by coastal cliffs that were also formed by marine erosion. They reach a maximum height of 52 m above sea level.

On 5 October 1990, it was declared a natural monument under Supreme Decree #51 of the Ministry of Agriculture, published in the *Diario Oficial*.

Between 2003 and 2008, the monument was closed due to a landslide of an important part of its cliffs, which required remodeling of the access route and its surroundings.

Since 2010, access to the beach is prohibited to protect the flora and fauna.

Panorama of La Portada Natural Monument

## Fauna

The natural monument constitutes an observation site for [guano](/source/Guano) birds such as [Peruvian booby](/source/Peruvian_booby) (*Sula variegata*) and [Inca terns](/source/Inca_tern) (*Larosterna inca*), as well as [Guanay cormorants](/source/Guanay_cormorant) (*Phalacrocorax bougainvillii*), [kelp gulls](/source/Kelp_gull) (*Larus dominicanus*), [grey gulls](/source/Grey_gull) (*Larus modestus*), [Belcher's gulls](/source/Belcher's_gull) (*Larus belcheri*), and [pelicans](/source/Pelican).

Occasionally one can also observe mammals such as the [South American fur seal](/source/South_American_fur_seal) (*Arctocephalus australis*) or the [common dolphin](/source/Common_dolphin) (*Delphinus delphis*).

## Access

La Portada is located 18 km (11 mi) north of Antofagasta, which can be accessed by Route 1 Antofagasta-Tocopilla, from which an access road diverges at kilometer 20.

The monument is found near the [Cerro Moreno International Airport](/source/Cerro_Moreno_International_Airport) and [La Chimba National Reserve](/source/La_Chimba_National_Reserve).

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-readersnatural_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-readersnatural_1-1) Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). *Natural Wonders of the World*. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 301. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-89577-087-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-89577-087-3).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [La Portada Natural Monument](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Monumento_Natural_La_Portada).

- (in Spanish) [Corporación Nacional Forestal](http://www.conaf.cl/).

- (in Spanish) [Servicio Nacional de Turismo](http://www.sernatur.cl/).

- [La Portada](http://portada.biz/).

v t e Natural Monuments of Chile Alerce Costero Cerro Ñielol Cinco Hermanas Contulmo Cueva del Milodón Dos Lagunas El Morado Isla Cachagua Islotes de Puñihuil La Portada Laguna de los Cisnes Lahuen Ñadi Los Pingüinos Pichasca Quebrada de Cardones Salar de Surire

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [La Portada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Portada) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Portada?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.