Pucón

Pucón
Villarrica Lake
Flag Coat of arms Map of Pucón commune in the Araucanía Region UTC−3 (CLST)
Area code	country 56 + city 45
Website	www.municipalidadpucon.cl (in Spanish)

Pucón (

During the conquest of Chile the Spanish founded the city of Villarrica in 1552 in the area of what is now Pucón.^[5] The Spanish carried out significant mining of gold in placer deposits around this city.^[5] However at some point in the 16th century it is presumed the gold placers were buried by lahars flowing down from nearby Villarrica Volcano.^[5] This prompted settlers to relocate the city further west at its modern location, abandoning this the site of Pucón.^[5]

The modern settlement of Pucón was established in 1883 as a fort in the aftermath of the Occupation of Araucanía when the Chilean state subdued the native population of Araucanía Region. It was a strategically advantageous spot because of its location at entrance of the Trancura Valley, where the Argentinean army had once pursued a group of Mapuches through Mamuil Malal Pass during the Conquest of the Desert.

The first hotel in Pucón was the Gudenschwager, established in 1923, but it was in 1934 with the establishment of Gran Hotel Pucón that tourism became a popular activity in the area. In 1940 the first road between Villarrica and Pucón was built and in the 1970s the road to Caburgua Lake was finished.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census carried out by the Chilean National Statistics Institute, Pucón spans an area of 1,248.5 km² (482 sq mi) and has 21,107 inhabitants (10,705 men and 10,402 women). Of these, 13,837 (65.6%) lived in urban areas and 7,270 (34.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 47% (6,751 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.^[3]

Tourism

Pucón is a major centre of

Tourist attractions

Villarrica is the closest volcano to Pucón and is frequently climbed from the town. Other volcanoes in the area include Mocho-Choshuenco, Quetrupillán and Lanín. Villarrica has had more than 82 eruptions since 1558, the most recent of which occurred on March 3, 2015. It is possible to climb it throughout the year, if weather and volcanic activity permit. During winter, the summit is completely covered by snow, and offers views of at least seven of the surrounding lakes.

El Cañi, meaning “sight that transforms”, is a private protected area of 500 hectares belonging to a non-profit organization.

Lahar risk zones

Volcanic mudflows known as lahars are common in the history of Pucón and the vicinity of Villarrica volcano. In 1964, a lahar destroyed much of the woodlogging town of Coñaripe. A 2014 study determined that the international road just east of the Pucón Airport lies in a zone of high danger, as does the road connecting to the west with the town of Villarrica. The airport is in a low danger zone, while most of the urbanized area of the city was outside the possible paths for lahars.^[8]

Administration

As a commune, Pucón is a third-level

Previously the area had a German school, Deutsche Schule Pucón.[9]

Transportation

The city is served by Pucón Airport, which can handle aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 737 jet.

See also

• Villarrica Lake
• Villarrica (volcano)
• Quetrupillán Volcano
• Lanín and Llaima Volcanos

Sister cities

• Lake Oswego, Oregon
  , United States

References