475 Anniversary of Santiago City Foundation

About the Doodle
now the sixth largest city on the continent, with just over 5.5 million people.
 * A lot can happen in the 475 years of a city’s existence. Since its foundation on February 12th, 1541 by Spanish conquistador Pedro de Valdivia, Santiago de Chile has emerged as a cultural icon and landmark city of South America. It's

The city was originally named after St. James, the patron saint of Spain. The name Santiago actually derives from a colloquial Latin pronunciation of St. James : Sanctu Iacobu. That’s why St. James in English is Santiago in Spanish. Write that one down for your next trivia night.

Today, we honor all the people who have called Santiago their home over the years. Doodler Mark Holmes chose to portray the varied architecture of the city, layered against the august backdrop of Chile’s astounding Andes mountain range. WIth deep admiration, we wish you a happy birthday, Santiago!