Vicuña, Chile

Coordinates: 30°02′S 70°43′W / 30.033°S 70.717°W / -30.033; -70.717
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Vicuña
City and Commune
Vicuña as seen from nearby hills.
Vicuña as seen from nearby hills.


Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Location in Coquimbo Region
Location in Coquimbo Region
UTC−3 (CLST)
Area code56 + 51
WebsiteOfficial website (in Spanish)

Vicuña (Spanish pronunciation:

Valle de Elqui
.

History

Vicuña was founded on February 22, 1821, by Colonel

Joaquín Vicuña Larraín, who was the first intendant of Coquimbo Province, by order of Bernardo O'Higgins
. He named it Villa de San Isidro de Vicuña. In 1872, its name was shortened to Vicuña, in honor of its founder.

Topography

Bauer tower in the center of Vicuña.

The Vicuña commune covers an area of 7,609.8 km2 (2,938 sq mi), making it the largest commune in both the province and the Coquimbo Region, and the second-largest commune in the country. Vicuña occupies the major part of the mid and upper Elqui River basin, and the entire length of the Turbio river.

The area is dominated by a mountainous backdrop, and extensive plains on the valley floor, where high-quality grapes for pisco are grown, along with other fruits and vegetables. The La Punilla, Atimonate, Balalita, Los Tilos mountain ranges contain several peaks with altitudes over 4,000 m.[citation needed]

Demographics

According to the 2002

rural areas
.

Economy

Vicuña is a major center for

Cooperativa Agrícola Pisquera Elqui Limitada (CAPEL) runs the main pisco distillery in the zone. Economic activity centers on the culture of grapes, fruits, cereals, and vegetables. Other industries include sheep ranching and iron and copper mining. Tourism has grown greatly in the last few years,[when?] primarily due to quality hotels and restaurants. The area around Vicuña experiences approximately 300 totally clear days and nights annually, and several large astronomical observatories are located nearby, including the touristic Mammalluca Observatory. The urban area is made up of buildings from around 1900. The city has a square of ancient trees, which displays sculptures that honor Gabriela Mistral, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature
. Other points of interest include the Temple of the Immaculate Conception; the Bauer Tower, which houses the office of tourism; and the Gabriela Mistral museums.

Tourism

Mamalluca observatory.

A few kilometres outside town is the Route of the Grappa, visiting the factories known as pisqueras: Ruta Norte, Capel, Mistral, Tres Erres and Artesanos de Cochiguaz. The Mammalluca Observatory located 9 km north of Vicuña, has tourist and education programs. At the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, daily tourist visits are offered.

Administration

The commune is administered by the

Ind.), who is advised by a municipal council of six members:[1]

  • René Ahumada Tapia (RN)
  • Simón Alquinta Sirvent (
    UDI
    )
  • Carmen Luz Rojas Araya (
    PRSD
    )
  • Silvia Piñones Rivera (
    PPC
    )
  • Mario Aros Carvajal (Ind.)
  • Leonor Ortega Wanders (PS)

Within the

PDC
) as part of the 4th senatorial constituency (Coquimbo).

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Municipality of Vicuña" (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b c "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2010.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vicuña, Chile.
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