San Fernando is the capital of the province of
Colchagua, in central
Chile, and the second most populated urban center of the
O'Higgins Region
The Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region ( es, Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, ), often shortened to O'Higgins Region ( es, Región de O'Higgins), is one of Chile's 16 first order administrative divisions. It is subdi ...
. Located close to the
Tinguiririca River (a tributary of the
Rapel
Abseiling ( ; ), also known as rappelling ( ; ), is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling the person descending controls their own movement down the rope, in contrast to low ...
) in a fertile valley, San Fernando sits 339 m (1,112 feet) above sea level. Founded in 1742, it became the provincial
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
in 1840.
Culture
San Fernando is famous for its
rodeo
Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...
s, thanks to its location at the heart of the country. The surrounding area yields wheat, forage crops, rice, legumes and grapes. There is also a brand of
Chilean wine called ''San Fernando''.
Both the
Pan-American Highway and Chile's main longitudinal
railroad run through San Fernando.
San Fernando is located at the northern tip of Chile's Colchagua Valley. This region is popularly known as the heart of chilean agriculture. Here you can find the "wine route" which will take visitors on a journey from San Fernando to Santa Cruz, visiting some of Chile's most traditional vineyards.
Some major attractions in and around San Fernando include Casa Silva, a hotel, vineyard, and winery. Hacienda Los Lingues, a traditional chilean-style, colonial home of an hacienda "patrón" or owner that has been turned into a hotel and restaurant. The hacienda offers horseback riding adventures into the precordillera of the Andes.
Most major producers of fresh fruit for export are located in and around San Fernando. These include: Frusan, Unifruti, and Agricola Panagro. Within the orchards and farms of the region one can find almost every type of fresh produce; from citrus to premium quality fresh cherries.
San Fernando is also the point of departure to begin a trip to "Las Termas Del Flaco" (The thermal baths of Flaco). Flaco can be reached by travelling east of ruta 5 on the road to Puente Negro. "Las Termas" baths are open from mid-December to April and are located in an area famous for its large populations of
Tricahues, a type of native parrot,
and fossilized dinosaur footprints.
Demographics
According to the 2017
census of the
National Statistics Institute, San Fernando spans an area of and has 73,973 inhabitants (36,077 men and 37,896 women). The population grew by 16.1% (11,881 persons) between the 2002 and 2017 censuses.
Administration
As a commune, San Fernando is a third-level
administrative division of Chile
The administrative division or territorial organization of Chile exemplifies characteristics of a unitary state. State administration is functionally and geographically decentralized, as appropriate for each authority in accordance with the law.
...
administered by a
municipal council, headed by a
mayor who is
democratically elected every four years. The current administration is run by Pablo Silva Pérez (right-wing
independent) who was elected in the
2021 Chilean municipal elections
Municipal elections were held in Chile on 15 and 16 May 2021, in conjunction with elections of members for the Constitutional Convention and regional governors. The process included the direct election of mayors and the members of the council of ...
.
Climate
Gallery
Image:SanFco SanFernando.JPG, San Francisco Church.
Image:Gobernación Provincial de Colchagua (Ex Intendencia), 2005.jpg, Gobernación de Colchagua.
References
External links
*
Municipality of San Fernando*
Information about San Fernando*
{{Authority control
Communes of Chile
Populated places established in 1742
Populated places in Colchagua Province
Capitals of Chilean provinces
1742 establishments in the Spanish Empire