Chillán () is the capital
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be de ...
of the
Ñuble Region in the
DiguillÃn Province of
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...
located about south of the country's capital,
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, who ...
, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of the new
Ñuble Region since 6 September 2015. Within the city are a railway station, an
inter-city bus terminal, an agricultural extension of the
University of Concepción
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...
, and a regimental military base. The city includes a modern-style enclosed shopping mall in addition to the multi-block open-air street market where fruits, vegetables, crafts and clothing are sold. The nearby mountains are a popular destination for skiing and
hot spring
A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow bodies of magma (molten rock) or by c ...
bathing.
Founded by the Spanish in 1580 the city persisted despite numerous attacks by
Mapuche
The Mapuche ( (Mapuche & Spanish: )) are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who s ...
,
Pehuenches and other tribes
in war with Spain. Over time Chillán became an important marketplace where Mapuches, Pehuenches,
Mestizo
(; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...
s and
Criollos met. Many goods from
Patagonia
Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and ...
and the
Argentine Pampas were brought into the market of Chillán across the mountain passes of the area. In the early 19th century the countryside of Chillán was ravaged by the
Chilean War of Independence and a subsequent
banditry epidemic. In 1939 the city was devastated by
a large earthquake prompting the government to initiate an extensive reconstruction program.
History
The zone where Chillán was built was previously inhabited by indigenous people called ''Chiquillanes''.
Chillán was founded in 1580 at the site of
Chillán Viejo
Chillán Viejo is a city and commune (Spanish: ''comuna'') in the DiguillÃn Province of Chile Region of Ñuble According to the 2002 census, the population of the commune was 22,084 and it has an area of .
History
Originally, Chillán Viejo wa ...
as San Bartolomé de Chillán by
MartÃn Ruiz de Gamboa,
who was campaigning against the local indigenous peoples at the time, but this moniker did not fare well, and was replaced by the current name, which in the local Indian language means "where the Sun is sitting".
During the
Mapuche uprising of 1655
The Mapuche uprising of 1655 ( es, alzamiento mapuche de 1655 or ) was a series of coordinated Mapuche attacks against Spanish settlements and forts in colonial Chile. It was the worst military crisis in Chile in decades, and contemporaries e ...
, the city was besieged by Mapuche warriors.
[Barros Arana 2000, p. 352.] The Spanish defended the city from trenches and a palisade fort.
[Barros Arana 2000, p. 357.] Hoping for a miracle, the Spaniards put an image of Mary near the trenches, against which Mapuches are said to have shot arrows.[ In early March, about one month after the onset of uprising, distress was such that the Spaniards abandoned the city and headed north, escaping the conflict zone.][ The Real Audiencia of Santiago declared the evacuation an act of cowardice, and prohibited refugees from Chillán to go beyond the Maule River north.][Barros Arana 2000, p. 360.] As an outbreak of smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) ce ...
occurred among the refugees, this was. in effect. a quarantine, as trespassing north was punished with death sentences.[
From its foundation, Chillán has been at the heart of Chile's rich agricultural region. It is also in a region of seismic activity, suffering from devastating earthquakes throughout its history; the 1939 Chillán earthquake left over 30,000 dead and mobilized international help.
Chile's founding father, Bernardo O'Higgins, was born in Chillán in 1778. He was the force behind Chile's Independence from ]Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
, being elected supreme director and declaring independence after the Battle of Chacabuco
The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes of the United Provinces of the RÃo de la Plata, led by Captain (land), Captain–General José de San MartÃn, defeated ...
against the Spaniards in 1817. His later victory at the Maipo battlefield cemented the country's freedom. He died in exile in Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
in 1842.
Climate
Chillán has a Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...
(Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
''Csb''). Winters are cool but mild, with a July average of . Most of the precipitation falls during this time of the year, with May to July being the wettest months, averaging over . Summers, though, are dry and warm, with a January average of , and during this time, precipitation is rare, averaging only 2–3 days per month from December to February. Temperatures can occasionally exceed from October to April. The average annual precipitation is , but it is highly variable from year to year, with 1982 being the wettest year at and 1998 being the driest year at only .
The air in Chillán is the fourth-most polluted in Chile, after Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, who ...
, Temuco
Temuco () is a city and commune, capital of the CautÃn Province and of the AraucanÃa Region in southern Chile. The city is located south of Santiago. The city grew out from a fort of the same name established in 1881 during Chile's invasion ...
, and Concepción. "As in Temuco, the main cause of air pollution in Chillán is the use of wood-burning stoves; about 62% of all households in Chillán use firewood as their main source of heating."
Demographics
According to the 2002 census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
by the National Statistics Institute, the commune of Chillán spans an area of and has 161,953 inhabitants (77,007 men and 84,946 women). Of these, 148,015 (91.4%) lived in urban area
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, ...
s and 13,938 (8.6%) in rural area
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are des ...
s. The population grew by 8.3% (12,442 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
The demonym
A demonym (; ) or gentilic () is a word that identifies a group of people (inhabitants, residents, natives) in relation to a particular place. Demonyms are usually derived from the name of the place (hamlet, village, town, city, region, province, ...
for a person from Chillán, used for more than 400 years by local residents, is ''Chillanejo'', yet this is not found in the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary, which only recognizes ''Chillanense''.Chillanense - DRAE (Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary)
/ref>
Notable people
In addition, Chillán has offered a number of artists. A notable example is Claudio Arrau, a pianist
A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, j ...
. Additionally, Ramón Vinay is the tenor who played Otello
''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play '' Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. ...
in the 1950s, his recording of the role with Toscanini. He was a regular at the New York City Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...
, where he sang both tenor and baritone roles. One of his last performances at this house was as the Barber of Seville's Basilio, a bass role. He retired from the stage in 1969.
Other "Chillanejos" include writer Marta Brunet, sculptor Marta Colvin, painter Pacheco Altamirano
Arturo Pacheco Altamirano (1903 – 1978) was a painter born in Chillán, Chile. He died in Santiago in 1978.
External linksMuseo de Arte Contemporáneo: Arturo Pacheco Altamirano
1903 births
1978 deaths
People from Chillán
20th-centur ...
, and Juan de Dios Aldea, who, however, did not reach the international acclaim achieved by Arrau and Vinay. ''Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' player Gonzalo "ZeRo" Barrios who had a record-breaking 56-tournament winning streak is also from Chillán.
Administration
As a commune, Chillán is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
, headed by an ''alcalde
Alcalde (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian '' cabildo'' (the municipal council) ...
'', who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2020 ''alcalde'' is Sergio Zarzar Andonie
Sergio Zarzar Andonie (January 12, 1952) is an entrepreneur, conservative political professor Chilean of Palestinian origin, linked to the National Renewal Party.
In the municipal elections in 2008 he was elected mayor of the town of Chillán ...
(ILE).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Chillán is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures.
Description
Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon ...
by Carlos Abel Jarpa ( PRSD) and Rosauro MartÃnez ( RN) as part of the 41st electoral district, together with Coihueco, Pinto
Pinto is a Portuguese, Spanish, Jewish (Sephardic), and Italian surname. It is a high-frequency surname in all Portuguese-speaking countries and is also widely present in Spanish-speaking countries, Italy, India especially in Mangalore, Kar ...
, San Ignacio San Ignacio (the Spanish language name of St. Ignatius (disambiguation), St. Ignatius) is a common toponym in parts of the world where that language is or was spoken:
Argentina
* San Ignacio, Argentina, Misiones Province
* San Ignacio MinÃ, a ...
, El Carmen, Pemuco, Yungay and Chillán Viejo
Chillán Viejo is a city and commune (Spanish: ''comuna'') in the DiguillÃn Province of Chile Region of Ñuble According to the 2002 census, the population of the commune was 22,084 and it has an area of .
History
Originally, Chillán Viejo wa ...
. The commune is represented in the Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the e ...
by Victor Pérez Varela ( UDI) and Felipe Harboe
Felipe Harboe Bascuñán (born 20 July 1972 in Eindhoven, Netherlands) is a Dutch-born Chilean politician from the Party for Democracy and current Senator in Congress. He is a former Deputy Interior Minister of Chile and acting Minister of the I ...
( PPD) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (BiobÃo-Coast).
Transport
The city of Chillán is connected to Chile's capital Santiago by both a modern highway and a rebuilt railway system TerraSur that makes the trip in less than five hours. TerraSur, which terminates in Chillán station, and the Alameda-Temuco train both operate on the railway connecting Chillan with Rancagua and Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, who ...
.
Gallery
See also
* Termas de Chillán
References
;Bibliography
*
External links
*
Municipality of Chillán
City map
Chillán & Ñuble Fotográfico en Flickr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chillan
Communes of Chile
Populated places established in 1580
Capitals of Chilean regions
Populated places in DiguillÃn Province
1580 establishments in the Captaincy General of Chile