Puerto Montt
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Puerto Montt is a port city in the south of Chile. It has 175 938 inhabitants (as of 2002), an area of 1,673 square kilometers and is the administrative center of the Región de los Lagos and the province of Llanquihue. Here live 16.39 percent of the population of this province.
Geography
Puerto Montt is located about 1,100 kilometers south of the capital Santiago.
30 kilometers east of the city lies the volcano Calbuco with 2003 meters of altitude. He is one of the most active volcanoes in Chile, the last eruption took place in 1961.
Climate
Temperatures range from an average temperature of 6.6 ° C in June and 14.5 ° C in January. The region is rainy (annual rainfall 1,700 mm ), with the austral summer is dry.
History
West of Puerto Montt lies the archaeological site of Monte Verde, which is considered one of the oldest human traces of settlement in the Americas. Already 12,000-14,000 years ago, lived hunters and gatherers in the region. The interpretation of 25,000-30,000 years old charred wood in the archaeological site as also of human origin is not generally recognized.
Beginning of 1552 reached the Spanish conquistadors under Pedro de Valdivia first time the southern extreme of the Chilean central valley in the area of present-day Puerto Montt. The persistent and violent resistance from the indigenous population, the so-called Araucanians by the Spaniards, led to no consistent colonization succeeded. After the death of Valdivia, the Araucanians were even able to successfully push back the Spaniards. It is recorded that at the beginning of the 17th century a settlement of Huilliche existed in today's city of Puerto Montt, at the mouth of Estero Cayenel in the Gulf of Reloncaví, what is now the road Lota. Their cacique Cayenel should have 1603 running recent scathing attack on the Spanish colony Osorno.
Due to the funded by President Manuel Montt and his adviser Bernard Philippi from the European revolution of 1848 immigration from Germany, which contributed to territorial integration of the lakes region in the Chilean state, German colonists were settled.
On February 12, 1853, the settlement was founded by Melipulli Vicente Pérez Rosales, which means about four hills in the Mapuche language. The floor plan was created in the typical colonial -ups checkered shape so straight roads of 20 m width enclosed square blocks with 50 m side length. On October 22, 1861, the settlement was declared a city and renamed in honor of President Manuel Montt Torres in Puerto Montt ( Montt port). In 1885 the town had 3,480 inhabitants, many of them German, who had a separate Protestant church and school. Also in the area there were several German colonies.
On May 22, 1960, the city was badly damaged by a major earthquake.
Attractions
Especially the lakes region around Puerto Montt is worth seeing. The city itself offers a handicraft market and fish specialties in the port area Angelmo. Puerto Montt is station and starting point for various cruises ( esp. Patagonia and Chiloé ) and also for Trekking friends as a popular starting point for tours.
Before Puerto Montt is the small island Tenglo. North of town is the huge Llanquihue Lake, a very popular destination.
Economy and Transport
The focus of economic life is in the trade and transport, next to the fishing and fish processing, and the shipment of timber from natural forests play a role.
Airport and port of the city form the starting point for the supply of the Chilean South ( Patagonia); Puerto Montt is also the primary point of contact of the traffic of the island of Chiloe. In fact, ending the developed part of the Pan-American Highway in Puerto Montt. Leading towards the south the highway Carretera Austral.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Raúl Ruiz (1941-2011), Chilean- French film director and screenwriter
- Patricio Almonacid ( b. 1979 ), Chilean cyclist
Twinning
- Puerto Madryn, Argentina
- San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina, since 2000