Torre Reloj, a tall white clocktower in the central square, Plaza Prat, has been adopted as Iquique's symbol. At the far side of the square is the gleaming white Teatro Municipal, built in 1890 as an opera house. Situated on the coast at the foot of the 800-metre coastal cordillera, Iquique is the capital of Region 1. During the nitrate boom in the 19th century Iquique became Chile's richest city.