The Mapocho begins at the confluence of the San Francisco River and Molina River in the
Andes. The main tributary of the former is Yerba Loca Creek, which drains the protected area that bears its same name. Molina River is fed by Iver Glacier, which lies on
Cerro El Plomo. A few kilometres westward from its source, the Mapocho receives the waters of the Arrayán Creek and enters to the urban area of Santiago. The last western spurs of the Andes in this area force a change in the direction of the river, making that it begin to flow toward the south. In the vicinity of
Cerro San Cristóbal and just to the side of the
Costanera Center project, the river collects the waters of the
Canal San Carlos. From here, the river flows in a generally southwesterly direction to
Plaza Baquedano area, which is a focal point of the city and the site where formerly the Mapocho split into two branches. The southern branch was turned into a promenade during the early years of the republic, and is now the
Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins avenue. The river then turns northwest. In this portion of its course, some of the most meaningful landmarks of the city, arose along its southern bank. Those include the
Parque Forestal, the
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, the
Mercado Central and the
Estación Mapocho. Farther northwest, two highway bridges connect the north and south sides of the river, which are part of the two branches of the
Autopista Central. Approximately at the longitude of the summit of
Cerro Renca, the Mapocho changes its northwesterly flow to a southwesterly direction. From the southern portion of
Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, the river turns south, to its outfall into the
Maipo River. ==Cultural role==