Plaza Sotomayor is dominated by the palatial blue-colored Edificio Armada de Chile. In the middle of the square lies the Monumento a los Héroes de Iquique, a subterranean mausoleum paying tribute to Chile's naval martyrs.

　　The Aduana Nacional (Customs House) and Estación Puerto, the terminal for commuter trains, are also nearby. The plaza has a helpful tourist kiosk and a tacky handicrafts market, the Feria de Artesanía. Muelle Prat, the pier at the foot of Plaza Sotomayor, is a lively place on weekends, and also the prime point for crane- and container-spotting.