Rancagua
Rancagua | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
City and Commune | |||||
| Ciudad de Rancagua | |||||
 Buildings surrounding Los Héroes Square, Rancagua. Top: Southern view of the plaza, Middle: Cachapoal Province Governorate, Bottom left. Sagrario Cathedral, Bottom right: Bernardo O'Higgins monument. | |||||
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| Coordinates (city): 34°10′S 70°45′W / 34.167°S 70.750°W / -34.167; -70.750Coordinates: 34°10′S 70°45′W / 34.167°S 70.750°W / -34.167; -70.750 | |||||
| Country |  Chile | ||||
| Region |  O'Higgins Region | ||||
| Province | Cachapoal Province | ||||
| Foundation | October 5, 1743 | ||||
| Government | |||||
| • Type | Municipality | ||||
| • Alcalde | Eduardo Soto | ||||
| Area [1] | |||||
| • Total | 260.3 km2 (100.5 sq mi) | ||||
| Elevation | 572 m (1,877 ft) | ||||
| Population (2012 Census)[1] | |||||
| • Total | 232,211 | ||||
| • Density | 890/km2 (2,300/sq mi) | ||||
| • Urban | 206,971 | ||||
| • Rural | 7,373 | ||||
| Demonym(s) | Ranquigüian | ||||
| Sex [1] | |||||
| • Men | 104,879 | ||||
| • Women | 109,465 | ||||
| Time zone | UTC−4 (CLT) | ||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−3 (CLST) | ||||
| Postal code | 2820000 | ||||
| Area code(s) | 56 (country) + 72 (city) | ||||
| Police | Carabineros de Chile | ||||
| International airports | Rancagua de la Independencia | ||||
| Climate | Csb | ||||
| Website | www.rancagua.cl (in Spanish) | ||||
Rancagua (Spanish pronunciation: [raŋˈkaɣwa]) is a city and commune in central Chile and part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located 87 km (54 mi) south of the national capital of Santiago.
Its first name was Santa Cruz de Triana. In 2012, its population was 232,211.[1] The main economic activities range from mining, tourism, agriculture, timber, food production and services to minor industrial activities. The city also serves as the administrative and legal center of the region.
Next to Machalí and Gultro forms the Rancagua conurbation; and next to Curicó, Talca and Concepción, is one of the most important and populated cities of the south central zone of Chile.
Contents
1 History
1.1 Foundation period
1.2 Today
2 Demographics
3 Notable people born in Rancagua
4 Administration
5 Culture
5.1 Festivals
6 Transportation
7 Climate
8 Sports
8.1 Stadiums and arenas
9 International relations
9.1 Twin towns–Sister cities
10 Photo gallery
11 See also
12 References
13 External links
History
Foundation period
The Battle of Rancagua during the Chilean War of Independence, by Pedro Subercaseaux.
Rancagua was founded by José Antonio Manso de Velasco, who founded several cities in the central area of Chile. The city's original name was Villa Santa Cruz de Triana. However, before the Spaniards arrived the area was inhabited by local Picunche tribes and had also fallen briefly under the control of the Inca Empire, whose traces can still be found near the city today.[2]
The city is famous in Chilean history as the scene of the Disaster of Rancagua of 1814, when Chilean forces fighting for independence from Spain were defeated, marking the beginning of the period known as the Reconquista (Reconquest, an attempt by Spain to regain control of Chile).
Today
Rancagua train station.
In recent years the city has become one of the most attractive cultural and tourist centers in the O'Higgins Region, mainly due to the vineyards in the area. There are also some archeological sites such as Pukara de La Compañia and the nearby Rio Cipreses nature reserve, both of which can be visited by private vehicle or with local tour companies. Rancagua also offers sports centers and easy access to smaller villages and towns.
The city is connected to Santiago by the Panamerican Highway (Chile Route 5), and the Metrotren connects the metro service in Santiago to Rancagua by train.
Rancagua is home of the University of Rancagua, the first private university to be established in the O'Higgins Region.
Rancagua is also known for El Teniente, the "largest underground copper mine in the world",[3] located about 40 km (25 mi) to the east of the city in the Andes mountain range. El Teniente is a division of the state-owned mining enterprise, Codelco.
The city's Braden Copper Stadium was one of the four venues of the 1962 FIFA World Cup. More recently, it houses the O'Higgins professional soccer club, one of the leading teams in Chilean professional soccer. Every year, the National Championship of Chilean rodeo is held in the Medialuna Monumental de Rancagua. On 2015, the city will be host the 2015 Copa América, receiving two matches of the tournament.
Demographics
People of Rancagua in the Stations of the Cross ceremony.
The population of Rancagua is primarily either of Spanish descent or mestizo, with a particularly strong Basque influence. However, there are also Chileans of German, Croatian, Italian, Greek, Levantine Arab, Swiss, French, English or Irish ancestry living in the city,[4] as well as indigenous Mapuche migrant workers from the south[1] and some Roma gypsies. Furthermore, the city has seen increasing immigration from neighbouring South American countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru.[1] According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Rancagua spans an area of 260.3 km2 (101 sq mi) and has 214,344 inhabitants (104,879 men and 109,465 women). Of these, 206,971 (96.6%) lived in urban areas and 7,373 (3.4%) in rural areas. The population grew by 14.4% (27,020 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[1]
Notable people born in Rancagua
Germán Riesco (1854–1916), President of Chile between 1901 and 1906.
Lucho Gatica, bolero singer.
José Victorino Lastarria (1817–1888), writer and politician.
Mariano Díaz, photographer, graphic designer, and writer.
Clarence Acuña, ex-footballer.
Bryan Rabello, footballer.
Mario Núñez, ex-footballer.
Administration
As a commune, Rancagua is a third-level administrative division of Chile, administered by a municipal council and headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years.
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Rancagua is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Mr. Alejandro García-Huidobro (UDI) and Mr. Juan Luis Castro (PS) as part of the 32nd electoral district, which consists entirely of the Rancagua commune. The commune is represented in the Senate by Andrés Chadwick Piñera (UDI) and Juan Pablo Letelier Morel (PS) as part of the 9th senatorial constituency (O'Higgins Region).
Culture
This area is known as the "huaso province" after the name of the Chilean cowboy, the huaso. The population is a mixture of both European (including Argentine immigrants) and indigenous races and cultures, thus the region has a homogeneous culture known as Chileanidad is present and a mestizo imprint is evident.
Rancagua and the Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region was settled by Spaniards (notably Andalusians, Basques, Aragonese and Navarrese) and other Europeans. French and Italian families established agriculture including the important wine industry: the Wine Route is one of the main tourist attractions of the Colchagua valley. Breweries can be found as well, the legacy of German and Swiss immigration. Livestock herding was especially influenced by British, Greek and Yugoslavian settlers.
The relatively small distance from Santiago has led to a growing urban influence in the local culture. Rancagua, is fast becoming a suburb of Santiago's upper-class professional workforce.
Festivals
| Date | English Name | Spanish Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 October | Disaster of Rancagua | Desastre de Rancagua | In memory of the Battle of Rancagua which occurred in 1814 |
Transportation
Public Transport is provided by Trans O'Higgins by six lines of busses.
Climate
Rancagua has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb), with clearly marked seasons. Summers are generally extremely dry, with cool mornings and hot afternoons, while winters are mild with cold mornings and occasional periods of heavy rainfall that averages around 510 millimetres or 20.08 inches each year – almost all of which occurs during a handful of storms between May and August. In some years there can be a little snow.
| Climate data for Rancagua | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 39 (102) | 35.7 (96.3) | 36 (97) | 32.3 (90.1) | 31 (88) | 26 (79) | 28 (82) | 29 (84) | 32 (90) | 33.3 (91.9) | 34.7 (94.5) | 38 (100) | 39 (102) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 27 (81) | 23 (73) | 18 (64) | 15 (59) | 15 (59) | 16 (61) | 18 (64) | 22 (72) | 26 (79) | 28 (82) | 22.3 (72.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21 (70) | 20.5 (68.9) | 18.5 (65.3) | 15 (59) | 11.5 (52.7) | 9 (48) | 8.5 (47.3) | 10 (50) | 11.5 (52.7) | 14.5 (58.1) | 17.5 (63.5) | 19.5 (67.1) | 14.7 (58.5) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 12 (54) | 11 (52) | 10 (50) | 7 (45) | 5 (41) | 3 (37) | 2 (36) | 4 (39) | 5 (41) | 7 (45) | 9 (48) | 11 (52) | 7.3 (45.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.4 (41.7) | 5 (41) | 3.5 (38.3) | −1.8 (28.8) | −5.9 (21.4) | −6.2 (20.8) | −4.9 (23.2) | −6.2 (20.8) | −2.3 (27.9) | −3 (27) | 1.6 (34.9) | 3.3 (37.9) | −6.2 (20.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 0 (0) | 4 (0.2) | 11 (0.4) | 22 (0.9) | 70 (2.8) | 125 (4.9) | 144 (5.7) | 92 (3.6) | 27 (1.1) | 10 (0.4) | 6 (0.2) | 0 (0) | 511 (20.2) |
| Average rainy days | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 31 |
| Source: MSN[5] | |||||||||||||
Sports
The Estadio El Teniente hosted the 2015 Copa América.
The sport in the city is varied including football, basketball and hockey. The city's most famous football club is O'Higgins, who currently plays in the first category of Chilean soccer, the Primera División de Chile. O'Higgins had great past glories, with the help of El Teniente they became one of the leading teams of Chile during the 1970s, participating on several occasions in the Copa Libertadores, their best performance being a semifinal appearance. In 2013, they won the Primera División de Chile for the first time, followed by a win in the Supercopa de Chile in 2014. Amongst other football clubs in the city are Tomás Greig and Enfoque, both of which play in the Tercera División de Chile.
Since 2015 the Autódromo Internacional de Codegua in the neighboring commune of Codegua held the Chile Grand Prix in the Superbike World Championship, the circuit will also hosted races in the 2016 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season.
Stadiums and arenas
Estadio El Teniente, host of the 1962 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Copa América.
Medialuna Monumental de Rancagua, host the Campeonato Nacional de Rodeo and Davis Cup.
Autódromo Internacional de Codegua, will be held the Moto GP.- Gimnasio Hermógenes Lizana
- Estadio Municipal de Rancagua
- Gimnasio Asociación de Básquetbol de Rancagua
- Estadio Guillermo Saavedra
International relations
Twin towns–Sister cities
Rancagua is twinned with:
San Fernando, Chile
Mendoza, Argentina
Pergamino, Argentina
Rancagua, Argentina
Curitiba, Brazil
Tongzhou, China PR
Paju, South Korea[6]
Logroño, Spain
Miajadas, Spain[7]
Bergen, Norway
Bielsko-Biała, Poland[8]
Photo gallery
Los Heroes Square
Bernardo O'Higgins Monument.
Rancagua cathedral at night.
Paseo Independencia, Rancagua
O'Higgins Region District Council
Cachapoal province government's building.
Medialuna de Rancagua.
See also
- O'Higgins
- Battle of Rancagua
- Medialuna de Rancagua
- Sewell, Chile
- Codelco
References
^ abcdefg "National Statistics Institute" (in Spanish). Retrieved November 29, 2010..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ Miranda Salas, Felix. Historia de Rancagua (PDF).
^ "Copper Mining in Chile". Copper Investment News. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
^ "About Chile & Its People". O'Higgins Tours.
^ http://es.climate-data.org/location/2053/"Monthly averages for Rancagua". MSN. 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
^ El Rancaguino, «Rancagua recibió a sus hermanos de la ciudad coreana de Paju»[permanent dead link]
^ Noticiario Local de Extremadura, 1/08/03, «El Ayuntamiento de Miajadas firma un Convenio de colaboración con la localidad chilena de Rancagua.» Archived 2012-01-18 at the Wayback Machine
^ "Bielsko-Biała – Partner Cities". © 2008 Urzędu Miejskiego w Bielsku-Białej. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rancagua. |
(in Spanish) Municipality of Rancagua
(in Spanish) Official Newspaper`s City Website
(in Spanish) Non-Official Website of Rancagua`s Soccer Team
< Communes and municipalities in O'Higgins Region > | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cachapoal |
|  |
| Cardenal Caro |
| |
| Colchagua |
| |
Provincial capitals in italics • Regional capital in bold | ||
