Villarrica, Chile

History

Villarrica was founded as Santa María Magdalena de la Villa Rica (Saint Mary Magdalene of the Rich Town) in 1552 by Jerónimo de Alderete. The site of foundation was likely near that of present-day Pucón. During its early years Villarrica was an important gold and silver mining centre.

Abandoned after his death in 1554, it was refounded five years later by García Hurtado de Mendoza. It grew into a small city, despite suffering destruction by a great earthquake on December 16, 1575. It had opened communications with Buenos Aires in its last years.

Following the Battle of Curalaba in the Arauco War, the last Spanish city to the south of the Bío Bío River was destroyed after a three-year-long siege, surrendering on February 7, 1603. Before its destruction it had more than 600 Spanish inhabitants, not counting its Indian servants. At its surrender only 11 men and 13 women were taken captive.

The city was refounded on the site of the old city in the 1880s during the occupation of Araucanía. The population in 2002 was 45,531. Population growth and economic development has increased, due to a global reputation as a tourist destination for nature lovers, summer recreation and winter sports enthusiasts.

After the city's refounding, the Chilean government established a land sale program to encourage settlement and invited European, esp. Swiss, German and Austrian immigrants in the last half of the 19th century to populate an area.

Demographics

|1895 |1887 |1907 |4551 |1920 |7732 |1930 |11598 |1940 |20842 |1952 |21541 |1970 |27691 |1982 |32973 |1992 |35867 |2002 |45531 |2017 |55478 |2024 |67737 According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Villarrica spans an area of 1291.1 sqkm and has 45,531 inhabitants (22,694 men and 22,837 women). Of these, 30,859 (67.8%) lived in urban areas and 14,672 (32.2%) in rural areas. The population grew by 26.9% (9,664 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.

Administration

As a commune, Villarrica is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2021 alcalde is Germán Vergara Lagos (independent).

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Villarrica is part of the 23rd District in the Chamber of Deputies (Araucanía South). The commune is represented in the Senate as part of the Araucanía Senate Constituency.

Notable people

• Quiñolef, a mapuche cacique

References

• Microsoft Encarta 2007.
• Francisco Solano Asta-Buruaga y Cienfuegos, Diccionario geográfico de la República de Chile, D. Appleton Y Compania, Nueva York, 1899 Original from Harvard University, Digitized May 22, 2007
  • Villa Rica Pg. 883

References

1. "Asociación Chilena de Municipalidades".
2. "Municipality of Villarrica".
3. "National Statistics Institute".
4. Petit-Breuilh Sepúlveda, María Eugenia. (2004). "La historia eruptiva de los volcanes hispanoamericanos (Siglos XVI al XX): El modelo chileno". Casa de los volcanes.
5. (2008). "La invención de la selva austral. Bosques y tierras despejadas en la cuenca del río Valdivia (siglos XVI-XIX)". [[Norte Grande Geography Journal.