Copiapó

see also: Etymology of Copiapó

Copiapó is the capital of IIIe Région ( Région_d' Atacama ) of the Chile. The town of Copiapó is wedged in a transverse valley of the country, formed by the Copiapó river.
La city was officially founded on December 8th 1744 by the governor José_Manso_de_Velasco under the name of San Francisco of Selva de Copiapó (Holy François of the Forest of Copiapó), even if its true origins go back to before the arrival of Spanish in Chile, when it belonged to the empire INCA. At that time, the city was called Copayapu , which one could translate into fox of gold , or in the turquoise source . When Diego de Almagro discovered Chile in 1536, it did it while passing through the Andes cordillera by the fault of Paipote in the middle of the valley of Copiapó.

The last census reveals: 130000 inhabitants. The urban area of Copiapó is rather lengthened because being limited to North by the cordillera and the South by the river itself.
La zone in the neighborhoods of Copiapó is very rich in ores but also has a very developed agriculture, thanks to the use of modern technologies of Irrigation (like drop by drop). That allowed that one of the most arid zones of the world produces Raisin S belonging to best world and whose attraction is increased by an early harvest in spring and the summer.

Copiapó has an airport (code AITA: CPO).

Local curiosities

Church of Belén : was built by the Jésuite S when Chile was a Spanish colony and was restored by the Villalobos family in 1856 which used it as place of residence. Furniture and the statues come from France

Iglesia Catedral : Está ubicada junto in Plaza de Copiapó. Fue construida between 1840 there 1851 idiot estilo neoclásico inglés. Known construcción be of will madera idiot doble tabiquería of 1,30 cm. of ancho, lo that permite the circulación between ellos. Known frontis holds columnas there está rematado por una gran torre cuadrada of 3 bubbles rodeados por columnas. In known interior el sagrario there el frontón LED altar its of plata cincelada; también Hay a retablo italiano of G. Fiorini. Mow lápidas of illustrated ciudadanos conservan in este templo, declarado Monumento Nacional.

In central el of the ciudad está the Plaza Prat . Era the Antigua Plaza de Armas with the ciudad, tenía in known central una estatua of mármol there No habían árboles. In 1880 plantaron los 84 pimientos that hoy existen, instalaron una estatua there una fuente of mármol, Alegoría francesa with the Minería. Además está adornada por cuatro estatuas that simbolizan tired estaciones LED año. Actualmente the " Plaza Prat" be considerada the plaza más bleated of todo Chile. -->

The Gare was built out of wood in 1854. One finds there offices, a waiting room and quays covered. It was restored in 1982 and shelters today a museum in particular including photographs of the first train of South America linking Copiapó at the town of Caldera. It is a Chilean national monument today.

Various bonds

Portal Web of Atacama

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