The 19th century witnessed the resurgence of urban views through panoramas and the invention of photography. This new form of representation reintroduced the visual argument as proof of fidelity, adding to the ancient tradition of urban views while establishing its own legitimacy. This was based on the total vision of panoramas, control over depth determined by the height of the viewpoint, and the ability to identify the observer's position based on the principles of perspective construction. This article examines how these graphic and visual qualities are present in two urban views of Santiago, Chile, from the mid-19th century. These views were created at a time when the country was consolidating as a republic and Santiago was its capital, during a fortunate convergence of institutional, urban, and technological development.