This article constitutes an essay -based on thematically selected bibliographic sources-on the process recognized as the socio-urban building of the port city of Valparaiso (Chile). To this end, central times and actors that give an account of contemporary identitarian definitions, which emerged during the 19th and 20th centuries, are identified.El presente trabajo ensaya -a partir de fuentes bibliográficas temáticamente seleccionadas-acerca del proceso de construcción socio-urbana de la ciudad puerto de Valparaíso (Chile). Para ello se distinguen momentos y actores centrales que dan cuenta de definiciones identitarias contemporáneas, que emergieron durante los siglos XIX y XX.