Osorno, Chile

Osorno is a city of 150,000 inhabitants (census 2002) located in the south of Chile. It is the capital of the Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is 945 km to the south of the capital of the country, Santiago, 110 km to the north of Puerto Montt (the regional capital) and 260 km to the west of the Argentine city of San Carlos de Bariloche, which is connected to it by International Route 215.

1 The City
2 History
3 Transportation
4 Notable Residents
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] The City

The interior of the Catedral de San Mateo de Osorno.

Osorno's most prominent geographical feature is the river (Rahue) that runs through its center. The city's heart is the Plaza de Armas, a one-block park near the riverfront. Opening onto the park's east side is the Catedral de San Mateo, notable for its architecture, and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Osorno. Other points of interest are the main campus of the Universidad de Los Lagos and the Medialuna de Osorno, a famous rodeo stadium. The Estadio Municipal Parque Schott is an outdoor stadium open to the community.

Soccer and basketball are popular sports in the city. Boxing is one of the city's pastimes; Osorno produced Chile's boxing representative at the 1972 Summer Olympics, Martín Vargas. Rodeo, especially at the Medialuna, is very popular, as it is in most regions of Chile. Additionally, skiing and snowboarding are common in the surrounding areas.

Agriculture makes up the bulk of the Osorno province's economic activity, with wheat and oats growing abundantly. Livestock, especially cattle, is also prominent.

[edit] History

Cattle farming in Osorno

Santa Marina de Gaete was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1553, on the site of a village named Chauracahuin. The city was abandoned after Valdivia's death. On March 27, 1558, it was rebuilt by the regional governor García Hurtado de Mendoza, Marquis of Cañete and renamed Villa de San Mateo de Osorno, in honor of his grandfather, Count de Osorno. It was destroyed again by the indigenous Huilliche people in 1602. On November 22, 1792, Tomás de Figueroa took possession of the ruins. Under the orders of Ambrosio O'Higgins, the city of Osorno was again rebuilt, and declared officially re-populated in 1796. O'Higgins, in turn, was awarded the title of Marquess of Osorno. Around 1850, the government of Chile invited German settlers to the colony to promote growth in the region. With their help, Osorno was made the home of the National Cattle ranch of Chile, boosting the regional economy significantly. Present-day Osorno has preserved 19th century architecture and urban layout, with colorful houses nestled in six concentric circular streets.

Osorno has maintained a long history of rivalry with Valdivia, and in a 2006 referendum, the Osorno Province rejected its proposed incorporation into the new Los Ríos Region, of which Valdivia will be the capital.