Pisagua, Chile

- 19.6 - 70.216666666667Koordinaten: 19 ° 36 ' S, 70 ° 13' W

Pisagua is a port city in northern Chile in the Región de Tarapacá. The city is located about 50 km west of the Panamericana and is not served by public transport.

Pisagua was originally one of the main export ports for saltpetre. With the end of the mining industry, the decline of the city began. Today, only about 300 people live in the largely deserted city, yet reminiscent of their former heyday the city theater preserved, built of wood. The energy supply of the city takes place only on emergency generators. Tourism, there are virtually nonexistent, despite the wide Pacific beach.

The city was captured on November 2, 1879 during the Salpeterkriegs Chilean troops and went after the Treaty of Ancon in 1883 by Peru to Chile. A national memorial commemorates this event.

Because of its location on the edge of the Atacama Desert and the great distance to other cities, the region was used to Pisagua several times to the system of prison camps. During the Salpeterkriegs Peruvian prisoners of war were interned there. 1946, the Chilean President Gabriel González Videla taught for the first time, a concentration camp for political opponents. Also during the Pinochet regime in 1973 and 1974 was in Pisagua a concentration camp where many political opponents of the government were imprisoned and tortured.

Structures

With the exception of the bell tower of Pisagua, which is protected as a "National Monument", the historical building of the place is extremely vulnerable (especially the theater ) or already largely disappeared. The former greatness of the city of tens of thousands of inhabitants is no longer recognizable today. The place looks more like a small fishing village.

Others

The city was named after the sailing ship Pisagua the German shipping Ferdinand Laeisz. It was one of the sole of his time famous Flying P -Liner, which also included the Passat and the Pamir.

Gallery

Former railway station - right remains of the concentration camp

Punta Pichalo

Old cemetery