Osorno, Chile
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| Osorno | |||
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  Osorno
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country | Chile | ||
| Region | Los Lagos | ||
| Province | Osorno | ||
| Commune | Osorno | ||
| Founded | 1558 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Mauricio Saint-Jean Astudillo | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 951 km² (367 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2002) | |||
| - Total | 145,457 | ||
| - Density | 152.97/km² (396.2/sq mi) | ||
| Website: http://www.municipalidadosorno.cl | |||
Osorno is a city of nearly 150,000 inhabitants, as of the 2002 census, located in the south of Chile. It is the capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is 945 km to the south of the capital of the country, Santiago, 110 km north of Puerto Montt (the regional capital) and 260 km west of the Argentine city of San Carlos de Bariloche, which is connected to it by International Route 215 via the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass.
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[edit] History
The city was originally planned to be founded in 1553, under the Government of Pedro de Valdivia by his companion of conquest, Lieutenant General Don Francisco de Villagra; with the name of Santa Marina de Gaete, on the site of a Huilliche village named Chauracavi. However, the death of Valdivia prevented the realization of this plan when he was about to materialize.
On March 27, 1558, the city is finally founded by the governor, García Hurtado de Mendoza, Marquis of Cañete; with the new name of Villa de San Mateo de Osorno, in honor of his grandfather, Count of 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, 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 began inviting German settlers to the colony to promote growth in the region; the settlers found Osorno's climate and geography to be very similar to their own. 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, represented by six picturesque houses which have been designated national monuments. [1]
Osorno has 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 is now the capital.
[edit] The City
Osorno sits in sight of Volcán Osorno, an active but minor volcano. The city's most prominent geographical feature is the Rahue River that runs North-South through its center. A smaller steam breaks off as well, running East before turning South and giving the city some natural boundaries. Located near the river front on the east side is the city's heart, the Plaza de Armas, a large, one-block park with fountains, benches, and tree-lined avenues. On the park's east side is the Catedral of Saint Matthew, one of the city's major landmarks, notable for its modern architecture. The cathedral serves as mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Osorno. Along the south side is Juan MacKenna Avenue, the city's major City Centre street. Other points of interest are the main campus of the Universidad de Los Lagos and the Osorno Rodeo Stadium. The Estadio Municipal Parque Schott is an outdoor stadium open to the community. Recently, Osorno unveiled plans for a casino, which will be called El Rahue and is expected to boost tourism to the region.
Osorno hosts a number of annual festivals. The Milk and Meat Fair showcases the city's agricultural past, while the SAGO-FISUR Cattle Fair hosted by the largest ranch in the area highlights the current state of agricultural activity. Fireworks displays are held every year around the city on September 18th, the Chilean Independence Day, commemorating independence from Spain.
Osorno is also a gateway for many tourist attractions. Puyehue National Park is a major attraction, with pristine lakes, forests, and game preserves. The volcanic area provides natural hot springs, now the site of the Aguas Calientes spa. Puyehue Hot Springs is adjacent to the park.
Los Lagos Region was named for the many lakes in the area, many of which have tourist-friendly yet isolated beaches; closest to Osorno are Puyehue and Rupanco. [2] Antillanca ski resort, less than a hundred kilometers away, is one of the highest-quality resorts in Chile. Ecotourism is also encouraged by the indigenous Huilliche communities, who inhabit the Pacific coastal zone. Much of the funds brought in by tourism is being used to protect native plant and tree species, most notably the Alerce, a threatened cyprus. The thick forests open onto beautiful beaches and bays, such as Maicolpué, Bahía Mansa and Pucatrihue.
[edit] Sports
Soccer and basketball are popular sports in the city. Osorno fields a soccer team, Provincial Osorno, in the Chilean Football Federation's B Division. Provincial Osorno plays home games at the Schott Municipal Stadium, which has a seating capacity of over 11,800. Osorno's official basketball team in the national basketball league is officially named Provincial Osorno but is locally known as "Los Toros" (the Bulls). Maintaining the two cities' historical rivalry, the Bulls are fierce rivals of the Valdivia team. In 2007 they won the national championship, making them the current league champions.
Chilean rodeo is popular in Osorno, as it is in most of Chile. Osorno's rodeo stadium is considered one of the best in the country, and was the qualifying arena for the southern region of the national rodeo in 2006.
Boxing is also one of the city's pastimes; Osorno produced Chile's boxing representative at the1972 Summer Olympics, Martín Vargas. Additionally, the mountainous terrain surrounding Osorno is ideal for skiing and snowboarding, sports popularized by the large tide of German immigrants. It is the closest city to the Antillanca ski resort, only 98 km away.
[edit] Economy
Osorno is an important agricultural center, and agriculture makes up the bulk of the Osorno province's economic activity. Wheat and oats grow abundantly, but the land is also well suited to the breeding of Chilean horses and cattle Some of the finest Chilean beef products originate in the Osorno ranches.
Osorno's proximity to the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass that makes it a key point in the national economy. The pass connects Osorno to the Argentinie city of Bariloche, and is one of primary arteries that ties the two countries' southern regions together. The pass is particularly important due to the fact that it crosses the Andes mountains at very low altitude, allowing it to remain open when other passes are blocked by snow.
Despite all this, Osorno has seen some economic stagnation in the past several decades. Agriculture alone has not allowed it to keep pace with the booming, rapidly-industralizing Chilean economy; lacking both industrial and information sectors. In an effort to combat this, the city has forged international business ties with certain Dutch companies, since it was discovered that the local climate is ideal for the growing of tulips. Likewise, Osorno has recently entered the international meat market. Besides offering high-quality beef, the isolated region is also completely free of the recent rash of cattle plagues, such as Mad Cow and foot-and-mouth disease, guaranteeing the safety of Chilean meats.
Osorno is now faced with a unique opportunity: the arable land is ideally suited for the growing of beets, soy, and corn, crops gaining in popularity with the recent development of biocombustibles, fuels derived from crops, such as corn-derived ethanol. It is hoped that the Chilean government's announcement that it will not apply the same steep taxes to agricultural fuels as it does to petroleum products, as well as the increasing demand for more environment-friendly fuels, may mean that Osorno will again become a major economic hub.
As Chile continues to develop as one of South America's economic leaders and one of the most stable states in the area, tourism is on the rise, as visitors flock to Osorno's natural beauty and old-European atmosphere.
[edit] Transportation
The city is served by Canal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert Airport, which offers 2-hour flights to Santiago. Buses also depart for the capital daily.
The Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass also marks the city as a major gateway to and from Argentina.
[edit] Notable Residents
- Tomás Burgos, Philanthropist
- Martín Vargas, Olympic boxer
- Juan MacKenna, Governor of Osorno, hero of Chilean independence.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] Gallery
 Catedral de San Mateo |
 Estadio Municipal Parque Schott |
 Bosque de Chile |
 Antillanca Ski Resort |
[edit] External links
- Diario Austral de Osorno Osorno's major newspaper (Spanish)
- Municipalidad de Osorno - Mayor's Office (Spanish)
- OsornoChile.Net - Information and Pictures of Osorno (Spanish)
- Images of Osorno Chileno's Chile Travel Blog
- Osorno Sports and News Portal (Spanish)
- Osorno on Google Maps
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