Rancagua
Rancagua is a city in Chile. It has 212 696 inhabitants (as of 2005) and is the capital of Región del Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins.
Geography
Rancagua is located in a fertile plain at the Río Cachapoal to 517 m and about 87 km south of the capital Santiago de Chile.
History
The Incas settled near Rancagua at a place called Copequén. This settlement was subject to the Inca in Cuzco. The conquistador Alonso de Córdova began early with the production of clothing and other craft things in Rancagua. In 1580 it was decided to form a kind of city with the doctrine of Rancagua. There a church was built and later at the same place a cathedral. Until 1625 the number of Spanish settlers had already greatly increased.
1687 dies a descendant of Alonso de Córdova and 152 natives obtain land rights, the cacique is Tomás Guaglen. 1711 to build the Spaniards a small military base in the city.
1743 Juan Francisco de Arrechea begins with the systematic planning and order of the urban area modeled after the city of Santa Cruz. Governor José Antonio Manso de Velasco founded the city on 5 October 1743rd Officially, town rights were granted on 29 July in 1749.
In the battle of Rancagua Spain triumphed on October 1st and 2nd 1814 Bernardo O'Higgins and Jose Miguel Carrera.
In 1861 the city receives a railway connection to Santiago de Chile.
In 1875 the town had 4051 inhabitants.
Attractions
Worth seeing are the Termas de Cauquenes, hot thermal springs with high levels of magnesium and potassium.
The Lago Rapel is 90 km west of the city and is a huge lake with around 80 km ². This is a great recreational area.
Economy
The region around Rancagua is considered agricultural. Are grown mainly grapes, apples, sunflowers, tobacco, tomatoes and corn.
Near the town there are copper, silver and gold mines. The copper mine, El Teniente ' in Sewell is the largest underground copper mine in Chile.
The city is located on the Panamerican Highway.
Photo Gallery
Paseo Independencia
Cathedral
Instituto de O'Higgins Rancagua
Sons and daughters of the town
- Arturo Gatica (1921-1996), singer
- Lucho Gatica ( born 1928 ), singer
- Alberto Lobos (1892-1925), painter
- Alfredo Lobos (1890-1917), painter
- Enrique Lobos (1887-1918), painter
- Germán Riesco Errazuriz officiated from 1901 to 1906 as president of his country.