Quillota, Chile

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Plaza de Armas of Quillota city

The city of Quillota is located in the Aconcagua River valley, in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. It is the largest city of the valley with many habitants living in the surrounding farmland areas of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay, and San Pedro. It is an important agricultural centre (mainly because the plantations of avocado and chirimoya trees) and the capital of Quillota Province.

Quillota is united to the city of La Calera by the small town of La Cruz. The area's agriculture and landscape was described by Charles Darwin in his book The Voyage of the Beagle. A nearby National Park (La Campana) holds a plaque at a viewpoint visited by him.

Quillota is 120 km from the capital Santiago and 60 km from the regional capital Valparaíso.

Just outside of the city, visitors enjoy the parks and state house of the Calvary School.

Higher education is also offered in this city, with undergraduate and master's degrees in agriculture at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV).

[edit] Early inhabitants

In this place where living Native Americans from the Bato and Lleo-Lleo Culture, because of the soil's fertility in the area. They lived at south of the Aconcagua River. The natives where influenced later by Mapuches and Diaguitas. The Diaguitas are given credit for the evolution of the local culture to the Aconcagua, famous for their pottery.

[edit] Spanish colonization

Diego de Almagro arrived to the valley in 1536. Incan scouts informed him about a beautiful and very fertile valley where the "Quillotas" lived. Before him, a convicted Spanish soldier from Peru called Don Gonzalo Calvo de Barrientos lived in the valley and learned the local language and culture, while captive by the aboriginals. Almagro was delighted with the valley, but he was searching for gold and since the Aconcagua River had none of it, he returned to Peru.

Later in 1540, Pedro de Valdivia arrived in Chile with the title of "Governor of Chile". He arrived in the valley and built farms and houses, mainly for the slaves and the Indians who where working for him. Almost the whole area occupied by Quillota at present was property of Valdivia.

In 1585 Quillota became the administrative place of a large province. In 1717 Quillota was founded as a city originally named "Village of San Martin de la Concha of Quillota" in the valley surrounding the Mayaca Hill. The city was founded by the bishop, Luis Romero, and the governor, Don José Santiago Concha y Salvatierra.