Travel Guide Chillán

The building of Chillán was no small task in this region of indomitable nature. On June 26, 1580, Fernando Ruiz de Gamboa ordered the foundation of San Bartolomé de Chillán. In 1599, the natives set fire to the nascent city. Once rebuilt, the earth shook it during the earthquake of 1655. It was rebuilt again in 1664, a few kilometers further north. Destroyed by the earthquake of 1751, it is this time raised in the current location of the old Chillán. It was destroyed again in 1835, but the tenacious inhabitants resurrected it for the umpteenth time... but the tranquility of the city did not last more than a century. The earthquake of 1939 almost wiped it off the map: 28,000 people were killed. President Cerda ordered its reconstruction, and Chillán became one of the most modern cities in the South. Since the 1939 earthquake, a strict policy of earthquake-resistant construction has been in force in the country. Unfortunately, a new earthquake in 2010 caused further damage and the city was not spared. With its thermal baths, its market and its vegetation, it is a pleasant stop on the way to the Deep South. The city is often associated with its vineyards, its sausages (especially its homemade sausage) and its artistic soul: nicknamed "Land of artists", it has seen the birth of many national artists.