Concepción, Chile

Concepción

| City flag and seal
City motto: "La Capital del Sur de Chile" The Capital of the South of Chile Also called "Biobío's Pearl"
Founded	October 5, 1550
Original name	La Concepción de María Purísima del Nuevo Extremo
Region	Biobío Region
Area  - City Proper	222 km²
Population  - City (2006)  - Density (city proper)	292,589 Inhabitants 955 /km²
Metropolitan Area  - City (2006)  - Density (city proper)	1,322,581 Inhabitants
Time zone	Santiago Time Zone, UTC- 4
Telephone prefix	41
Postal code	3349001
Gentilic	Penquista
Day	October 5
Mayor	Jacqueline van Rysselberghe (UDI) (2000-2012)
Official site	http://www.concepcion.cl
The map of the Concepción in the Biobío Region.

Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Bío-Bío Region. Greater Concepción (Gran Concepción, including Talcahuano, San Pedro de la Paz, Hualpén, Chiguayante, Penco, Tomé, Lota, Coronel,Hualqui and Concepción) is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants (2002 census). Individually, it is the 11th largest commune in the country, with a population of 212,003.

History

Concepción was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Bío-Bío River, at the site which is today known as Penco. At that time it was given the name Concepción del Nuevo Extremo. The new settlement of Concepcion was just a few kilometers north of La Frontera (The Frontier), the limit between the Chilean-Spanish territory and the land of the Mapuche, an ethnic group that was not subjugated until the 1870s. The settlement was formally recognized by the Spanish authorities as a city two years later by a royal decree and given its coat of arms which is still in existence today.

The city was a significant military settlement for the Kingdom of Chile but was still overrun and destroyed in 1554 and again after being reestablished in 1555 by Mapuche armies during the Arauco War in the early period of Spanish colonialism. It was recovered during the governorship of García Hurtado de Mendoza when he landed there and built a fort on the Alto de Pinto in 1557. The city was reestablished January 6, 1558, by capitán Jerónimo de Villegas. It became the headquarters of the military forces engaged against the Mapuche in Araucania over the next two centuries growing to a population of 10,000 despite suffering a siege in 1564 and other attacks by the Mapuche. Concepción was the home of the Real Audiencia from 1565 to 1575, the most important government organization during Spanish colonial times.

Due to earthquakes and tsunamis, which razed the city in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730 and another on May 25, 1751, the authorities decided to move the city to its current location to the Valle de la Mocha, alongside the Bío-Bío River and prohibited the occupation of the old location, which remained unpopulated until March 29, 1842, when the present city of Penco was founded.

The new site for the city of Concepción became the head city of the Intendancy of Concepción, whose jurisdiction extended from the Maule River to La Frontera. The first Intendant of Concepción was the Irishman Ambrose O'Higgins, Marquis of Osorno, who later became Royal Governor of Chile and Viceroy of Peru.

When the First National Government Board met in Santiago on September 18 1810, citizens of Concepción joined up. Concepcion was used as the point of entry by the Spanish Army in the attempt by the Viceroyalty of Peru to re-conquer Chile. Concepción politicians and soldiers became a significant political force in the newly-independent country.

On 1 January 1818, Ambrose O'Higgins son, Bernardo O'Higgins proclaimed and solemnly took the oath of the Independence of Chile in the main square of Concepción, which since then is known as "Plaza de la Independencia". On February 20 1835, the city again was largely destroyed by earthquake and had to be rebuilt.

Today Concepción is the second largest city of the country. The Universidad de Concepción, founded in 1919, and with its main campus in the city became the first private university in Chile. The neighbouring harbour of Talcahuano holds the largest naval base in the country.

Cultural life

To an outsider, there may be confusion between the demonyms of the inhabitants of Concepción and the nearby city of Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepción being where Penco currently stands, inhabitants of Concepción are called penquistas while inhabitants of Penco are known as pencones.

Concepción is one of the most active cities in Chilean rock music and many famous rock groups in Chile started up in Concepción.

Concepción has the second largest concentration of universities in Chile, and is home to three major universities. Concepción currently has four traditional universities:

Universidad de Concepción

• Universidad de Concepción
• Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
• Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
• Universidad del Bío-Bío

Sports

Concepción is home of five professional football teams:

• Club Deportivo Universidad de Concepción, currently in the Chilean top division, Liga Chilena de Fútbol: Primera División
• Club Deportivo Ferroviario Almirante Arturo Fernández Vial, currently in the Chilean second division, Liga Chilena de Fútbol: Primera B
• Club de Deportes Concepcion, currently in the top division, Liga Chilena de Fútbol: Primera División
• Lota Schwager, currently in the Chilean second division, Liga Chilena de Fútbol: Primera B
• Club Deportivo Huachipato, currently in the top division, Liga Chilena de Fútbol: Primera División

Basketball is also played at a high professional level. The most notable team is:

• Club Deportivo Universidad de Concepción, currently in DIMAYOR, División Mayor del Básquetbol de Chile

Concepción Downtown

Twin cities

• - Cascavel, Brazil
• - Bethlehem, Palestinian National Authority
• - Guayaquil, Ecuador
• - Rosario, Argentina
• - La Plata, Argentina

Gallery

External links

• Concepción municipality (in Spanish)
• El Sur, newspaper of Concepción (in Spanish)
• Viveconce, Event schedule of Concepción (in Spanish)
• Octava, Website directory (in Spanish)