Vicuña, Chile

Region

Vicuña is a city in the Región de Coquimbo in northern Chile, located 54 km east of La Serena in the interior. The city had 24,010 inhabitants in 2002, of which 12,910 lived within the city itself and 11,100 in the surrounding area. With an area of ​​7609.8 km ² Vicuña is the area largest city in the Coquimbo Region.

The city was founded in 1821 during the reign of Joaquín Vicuña to the instruction from Bernardo O'Higgins to ensure the sovereignty of the Río Elqui - area. First it was San Isidro de Vicuña named and renamed in 1872 in Vicuña.

Geography

Vicuña is located about 54 kilometers east of the coastal city of La Serena in the mountainous interior. The town lies on the river Río Elqui at an altitude of 620 m. About ten kilometers west of the city of Río Elqui is dammed at Puclaro Reservoir ( Embalse Puclaro ). While in the valley agriculture with irrigation is possible to thrive on very dry mountains north and south of the city only low bushes.

The city is connected by the National Road 41 ( Ruta CH -41), which leads to La Serena to the road network of the country.

Attractions

Landmark of the city is the Torre Bauer in the center of Vicuña, where the tourist information office is housed. The tower was under Mayor Adolfo Bauer, who was also named for the tower, built and completed in 1905.

Due to the usually very clear days and nights are at several astronomical observatories Vicuña. About 17 kilometers south-west from the city center vicuña is the Cerro Tololo over 2,200 meters high, on the Cerro Tololo Inter- the American Observatory is located. It is equipped with several astronomical telescopes and instruments. In contrast to the Cerro Tololo Observatory - which can only be visited for day-trippers and that can only be used by astronomers, the Mamalluca Observatory about 10 kilometers north of Vicuña is also open to the public.

Another ten kilometers south of Cerro Tololo Observatory, located on the 2,700 -meter-high Cerro Pachón the international Gemini Observatory South and the SOAR Telescope. Good one kilometer west of the Gemini Observatory, the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope under construction, to be completed in 2014.

Population

The city of Vicuña had the 2002 census total of 24,010 inhabitants, of whom 12,910 lived in the city itself and 11,100 in the surrounding area. 12,302 inhabitants were men and 11,708 women. Due to the large area of ​​7609.8 km ², of which most of parts are uninhabited, Vicuña has a population density of only 3.2 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Subsidiary of the City

In the city center is a place that has been paid to the most famous resident of Gabriela Mistral. The poet was born in 1889 here and won the 1945 Nobel Prize for Literature. Today is in Vicuña also a museum about the life and works of the poet.

Economy

Vicuña is a major center of production of the Chilean national drink Pisco. The largest Piscohersteller Chile, the Cooperativa Agrícola Pisquera Elqui Limitada ( CAPEL ), is located in this region.