Chillán
Encyclopedia
Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile
located about 400 km (249 mi) south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province
and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people (253,000 the Chillán Conurbation
for 2008), the most populated urban center of this province. Within the city are a railway station, an inter-city bus terminal, an agricultural extension of the University of Concepción, and a regimental military base. The city includes a modern-style enclosed shopping mall in addition to the multi-block open-air street market where fruits, vegetables, crafts and clothing are sold. The nearby mountains are a popular skiing destination.
as San Bartolomé de Chillán by Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
, who was campaigning against the local indigenous peoples at the time. However, this moniker did not fare well, and was replaced by the current name, which in the local Indian language means "where the Sun is sitting".
From its foundation, Chillán has been at the heart of Chile's rich agricultural region. It is also in a region of seismic activity, suffering from devastating earthquakes throughout its history; the 1939 Chillán earthquake
left over 30,000 dead and mobilized international help.
Chile's national hero
, Bernardo O'Higgins
, was born in Chillán in 1778. He was the force behind Chile's Independence from Spain
, being elected Supreme Director
and declaring independence after the Battle of Chacabuco
against the Spanish in 1817. His later victory at the Maipo
battlefield cemented the country's freedom. He died in exile in Peru
in 1842.
by the National Statistics Institute
, the commune of Chillán spans an area of 511.2 sqkm and has 161,953 inhabitants (77,007 men and 84,946 women). Of these, 148,015 (91.4%) lived in urban area
s and 1,938 (8.6%) in rural areas. The population grew by 8.3% (12,442 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
The demonym
for a person from Chillán, used for more than 400 years by local residents, is Chillanejo, yet this is not found in the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary, which only recognizes Chillanense.
, the world famous pianist
. Additionally there is Ramón Vinay
, the tenor who was "the" Otello
of the 1950s. His recording of the role with Toscanini is a perennial classic. He was a regular at the New York
's Metropolitan Opera
, where he sang both tenor and baritone roles. One of his last performances at this house was as the Barber of Seville's Basilio, a bass role. He retired from the stage in 1969, in a performance of Otello at Santiago's Municipal Theatre.
Other "chillanejos" are also part of Chile's best artistic and literary traditions: Marta Brunet
, a writer; Marta Colvin
, a sculptress; Pacheco Altamirano, a painter; and numerous others who, however, did not reach the international acclaim achieved by Arrau and Vinay.
, headed by an alcalde
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Sergio Zarzar Andonie
(ILE).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Chillán is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
by Carlos Abel Jarpa (PRSD
) and Rosauro Martínez (RN
) as part of the 41st electoral district, (together with Coihueco
, Pinto
, San Ignacio
, El Carmen
, Pemuco
, Yungay
and Chillán Viejo
). The commune is represented in the Senate
by Victor Pérez Varela (UDI) and Mariano Ruiz -Esquide Jara (PDC
) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Coast).
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
located about 400 km (249 mi) south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province
Ñuble Province
Ñuble Province is one of four provinces of the Chilean region of Biobío . It spans an area of and is administratively constituted by 21 communes. It has a population of 441,604 inhabitants. Its capital is the city of Chillán.-History:...
and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people (253,000 the Chillán Conurbation
Chillán conurbation
Chillán conurbation or Gran Chillán is a Chilean conurbation formatted for the communes of Chillan and Chillán Viejo in Ñuble Province in Biobio Region. It has an estimated population of 252,898 inhabitants for 2008....
for 2008), the most populated urban center of this province. Within the city are a railway station, an inter-city bus terminal, an agricultural extension of the University of Concepción, and a regimental military base. The city includes a modern-style enclosed shopping mall in addition to the multi-block open-air street market where fruits, vegetables, crafts and clothing are sold. The nearby mountains are a popular skiing destination.
History
Chillán was founded in 1580 at the site of Chillán ViejoChillán Viejo
Chillán Viejo is a city and commune in the Ñuble Province of Chile's eighth region of Biobío . According to the 2002 census, the population of the commune was 22,084 and it has an area of .-History:...
as San Bartolomé de Chillán by Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
Martín Ruiz de Gamboa de Berriz was a Spanish Basque conquistador, and served as a Royal Governor of Chile.-Early years:He was born in Durango, Biscay, the son of Andrés Ruiz de Gamboa and Nafarra de Berriz, and served as a youth in the royal navy in the Levant...
, who was campaigning against the local indigenous peoples at the time. However, this moniker did not fare well, and was replaced by the current name, which in the local Indian language means "where the Sun is sitting".
From its foundation, Chillán has been at the heart of Chile's rich agricultural region. It is also in a region of seismic activity, suffering from devastating earthquakes throughout its history; the 1939 Chillán earthquake
1939 Chillán earthquake
The 1939 Chillán earthquake was a major earthquake in south-central Chile. It is currently the single earthquake that has caused the most deaths in Chile. The earthquake occurred on 24 January 1939 and had an intensity of 8.3 MS...
left over 30,000 dead and mobilized international help.
Chile's national hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...
, Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
, was born in Chillán in 1778. He was the force behind Chile's Independence from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, being elected Supreme Director
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
and declaring independence after the Battle of Chacabuco
Battle of Chacabuco
The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata led by General Captain José de San Martín defeated the Spanish force led by Rafael Maroto...
against the Spanish in 1817. His later victory at the Maipo
Maipo
Maipo may refer to:*Maipo, Chile, a town in Buin, Chile*Maipo , a volcano on the border of Argentina and Chile*Maipo River, the river that rises on the west slope Maipo volcano and flows through the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile...
battlefield cemented the country's freedom. He died in exile in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
in 1842.
Demographics
According to the 2002 censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
by the National Statistics Institute
National Statistics Institute (Chile)
The National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, the commune of Chillán spans an area of 511.2 sqkm and has 161,953 inhabitants (77,007 men and 84,946 women). Of these, 148,015 (91.4%) lived in urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s and 1,938 (8.6%) in rural areas. The population grew by 8.3% (12,442 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
The demonym
Demonym
A demonym , also referred to as a gentilic, is a name for a resident of a locality. A demonym is usually – though not always – derived from the name of the locality; thus, the demonym for the people of England is English, and the demonym for the people of Italy is Italian, yet, in english, the one...
for a person from Chillán, used for more than 400 years by local residents, is Chillanejo, yet this is not found in the Royal Spanish Academy Dictionary, which only recognizes Chillanense.
Notable people
In addition, Chillán has offered a number of great artists to the world. A very notable example is Claudio ArrauClaudio Arrau
Claudio Arrau León was a Chilean pianist known for his interpretations of a vast repertoire spanning from the baroque to 20th-century composers, especially Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and Debussy...
, the world famous pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
. Additionally there is Ramón Vinay
Ramón Vinay
Ramón Vinay was a famous Chilean operatic tenor with a powerful, dramatic voice. He is probably best remembered for his appearances in the title role of Giuseppe Verdi's tragic opera Otello....
, the tenor who was "the" Otello
Otello
Otello is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play Othello. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, and was first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on February 5, 1887....
of the 1950s. His recording of the role with Toscanini is a perennial classic. He was a regular at the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
, where he sang both tenor and baritone roles. One of his last performances at this house was as the Barber of Seville's Basilio, a bass role. He retired from the stage in 1969, in a performance of Otello at Santiago's Municipal Theatre.
Other "chillanejos" are also part of Chile's best artistic and literary traditions: Marta Brunet
Marta Brunet
Marta Brunet , was a Chilean writer.- Life and work :She was the only child of Ambrosio Brunet Molina and his Spanish wife María Presentación Cáraves de Cossío. Her mother was an invalid and this led to Marta being largely taught at home by tutors...
, a writer; Marta Colvin
Marta Colvin
Marta Colvin Andrade is a sculptress from, Chillán, Chile.-Biography:Marta Colvin Andrade was the daughter of James Colvin and Elcira Andrade....
, a sculptress; Pacheco Altamirano, a painter; and numerous others who, however, did not reach the international acclaim achieved by Arrau and Vinay.
Administration
As a commune, Chillán is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal councilMunicipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an alcalde
Alcalde
Alcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Sergio Zarzar Andonie
Sergio Zarzar Andonie
Sergio Zarzar Andonie is an entrepreneur, conservative political professor Chilean from Palestinian origin, linked to the National Renewal Party....
(ILE).
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Chillán is represented in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of Chile
The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Carlos Abel Jarpa (PRSD
Social Democrat Radical Party
The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
) and Rosauro Martínez (RN
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
) as part of the 41st electoral district, (together with Coihueco
Coihueco
Coihueco is a Chilean commune and city in Ñuble Province, Biobío Region. It is located near Chillán, the provincial capital. Coihueco borders San Carlos and San Fabián on the north, Argentina on the east, Pinto on the South, and Chillán on the west....
, Pinto
Pinto, Chile
Pinto is a Chilean town and commune in Ñuble Province, Biobío Region. It is bordered by the commune of Coihueco to the north, Chillán and San Ignacio to the west, and El Carmen and Antuco to the south...
, San Ignacio
San Ignacio, Chile
San Ignacio is a Chilean town and commune located in the Ñuble Province, Biobío Region. It spans an area of .-Demographics:According to data from the 2002 Census of Population and Housing, San Ignacio had 16,106 inhabitants; of these, 4,873 lived in urban areas and 11,233 in rural areas. At that...
, El Carmen
El Carmen
-Colombia:*El Carmen, Santander a municipality in the Santander Department*El Carmen de Atrato, a municipality in the Chocó Department*El Carmen, Norte de Santander, a municipality in the Norte de Santander Department...
, Pemuco
Pemuco
Pemuco is a Chilean town and commune in Ñuble Province, Biobío Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Pemuco spans an area of and has 8,821 inhabitants . Of these, 3,844 lived in urban areas and 4,977 in rural areas...
, Yungay
Yungay, Chile
Yungay is a Chilean town and commune in Ñuble Province, Biobío Region. The commune spans an area of .-Demographics:According to data from the 2002 Census of Population and Housing, the Yungay commune had 16,814 inhabitants; of these, 11,469 lived in urban areas and 5,345 in rural areas. At that...
and Chillán Viejo
Chillán Viejo
Chillán Viejo is a city and commune in the Ñuble Province of Chile's eighth region of Biobío . According to the 2002 census, the population of the commune was 22,084 and it has an area of .-History:...
). The commune is represented in the Senate
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by Victor Pérez Varela (UDI) and Mariano Ruiz -Esquide Jara (PDC
Christian Democratic Party
Christian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) as part of the 13th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Coast).