Currently, few examples of urban colonial architecture are preserved in the historic center of Santiago de Chile. Those buildings that remain are quite altered in form and function. This is mainly due to constant transformation and modernization of the historic center along with the destruction of many heritage buildings. Their scarcity is also due to seismic vulnerability of the adobe construction technique. This article seeks to describe and analyze four colonial residential buildings that remain in the foundational area of the city. Describing their main transformations, this article analyzes the role this colonial buildings play as key pieces in the configuration of the urban layout.