- align"center" colspan! 2 style"border-bottom:3px solid gray;"|City motto: "La Capital del Sur de Chile"The Capital of the South of ChileAlso called "Biobio's Pearl"'' - Founded|| October 5, 1550 - Original name|| La Concepcion de Maria Purisima del Nuevo Extremo - Region||Biobio Region - Area - City Proper || 222 km² - Population - City (2005) - Density (city proper) || 212,003 Inhabitants 955 /km² - Time zone|| Santiago Time Zone, UTC- 4 - Telephone prefix||41 - Postal code|| 3349001 - Gentilic|| Penquista - Day ||October 5 - Mayor|| Jacqueline van Rysselberghe (UDI) (2000-2008) - Official site||http://www.concepcion.cl - align! "center" colspan2 style="border-bottom:3px solid gray;"|The map of the Concepcion in the Biobio Region.
Concepcion is a city in Chile, capital of Concepcion Province and of the Biobio Region. Gran Concepcion (Greater Concepcion, including Talcahuano, San Pedro de La Paz, Hualpen, Chiguayante and Penco) is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 666,381 inhabitants (2002 census), but it is even more if you consider the entire conurbation, being the second most importan city-conurbation in Chile. Individually, it is the 11th largest comune in the country, with a population of 212,003.
History
Concepcion was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Biobio River, at the site which is today known as Penco. At that time it was given the name Concepcion del Nuevo Extremo. The new settlement of Concepcion was just a few kilometers north of La Frontera (The Frontier), the limit between the Chilean-Spanish territory and the land of the Mapuche, an ethnic group that was not subjugated until the 1870s. The settlement was formally recognized by the Spanish authorities as a city two years later by a royal decree and given its coat of arms which is still in existence today. The city was a significant military settlement for the Chile but was still overrun and destroyed on several occasions by Mapuche armies during the early period of Spanish colonialism.
Concepcion was the home of the Real Audiencia, the most important government organization during Spanish colonial times. When the First National Government Board met in Santiago on September 18, 1810, citizens of Concepcion joined up. Concepcion was used as the point of entry by the Spanish Army in the attempt by the Viceroyalty of Peru to re-conquer Chile. Concepcion politicians and soldiers became a significant political force in the newly-independent country.
More than once the city has been destroyed by earthquakes and tsunamis. One in 1570, another on 25 May, 1751, at which point it was decided to move Concepcion further from the sea to its present location in the Mocha Valley. The new site for the city of Concepcion became the head city of the Intendancy of Concepcion, whose jurisdiction extended from the river Maule to La Frontera. The first Intendant of Concepcion was the Irishman Ambrosio O'Higgins, Marquis of Osorno, who later became Governor of Chile and Viceroy of Peru. On 1 January 1818, his son, Bernardo O'Higgins proclaimed and solemnly took the oath of the Independence of Chile in the main square of Concepcion, which since then is known as "Plaza de la Independencia". On February 20, 1835, the city was largely destroyed by earthquake and had to be rebuilt.
Today Concepcion is the second largest city of the country. The Universidad de Concepcion, founded in 1919, and with its main campus in the city became the first private university in Chile. The neighbouring harbour of Talcahuano holds the largest naval base in the country.
Cultural life
To an outsider, there may be confusion between the demonyms of the in habitants of Concepcion and the nearby city of Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepcion being where Penco currently stands, inhabitants of Concepcion are called penquistas while inhabitants of Penco are known as pencones.
Concepcion is one of the most active cities in rock music activities. Many famous rock groups in Chile started up in Concepcion.
Concepcion has the second largest concentration of universities in Chile, and is home to three major universities. Concepcion currently has four traditional universities:
- Universidad de Concepcion
- Universidad Catolica de la Santisima Concepcion
- Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria
- Universidad del Biobio
Sports
Concepcion is home of five professional Football teams:
- Universidad de Concepcion, currently in the Chilean top division.
- Arturo Fernandez Vial, currently in the Chilean second division.
- Deportes Concepcion, currently in the top division.
- Lota Schwager, currently in the top division.
- Huachipato, currently in the top division.
Basketball is also played at a high professional level. The most notable team is:
- Universidad de Concepcion, currently in Dimayor, Chilean mayor league
there are also good amateurs teams like Deportivo Aleman or Huachipato
Gallery
Image:Plazaconce.jpg|Center of Concepcion Image:Arco de Medicina UdeC.jpg|Arco de Medicina (Medicine Arc) in the campus Concepcion of Universidad de Concepcion. Image:Moderno Edificio en Concepcion.jpg|Andes Tower Image:Mercado Central de Concepcion.jpg|Concepcion is the second commercial nucleus of Chile. In the image, the Concepcion Central Market Image:Pinacoteca UdeC.jpg|House of Art or Pinacotheca (in Spanish: Casa del Arte or Pinacoteca) Image:Desembocadura del Biobio.jpg|End of the Biobio River, in the sea. Image:Plaza de la Indepedencia (1910).jpg|Plaza de la Independencia, the Plaza de Armas of Concepcion, in 1910 Image:Ex Catedral de Concepcion.jpg|Cathedral of Concepcion. It was demolished in 1939 after an earthquake Image:Concepcion-Chile(001).jpg|Concepcion Image:Biobus01.jpg Image:Hirmaspalacio.jpg|/Hirmas Palace Image:Ciudaddeconce.jpg|Center of Concepcion Image:Paseoarana1.jpg|Paseo Alonso de Ercilla (B.Arana) Image:Pinacotecaconce.jpg|Mural of the Pinacotheca Image:Ano nuevo en Concepcion.jpg|Concepcion: New year (2007) Image:Ut440a.jpg|Bio tren
External links
Other pages about Capitals of Chilean provinces
-Angol -Antofagasta -Arica, Chile -Castro, Chile -Cauquenes -Chaiten, Chile -Chillan -Colina, Chile -Concepcion, Chile -Copiapo -Coyhaique -Curico -Hanga Roa -Illapel -Iquique -La Union, Chile -Linares, Chile -Los Andes, Chile -Los Angeles -Osorno, Chile -Porvenir -Puerto Aysen, Chile -Puerto Montt, Chile -Puerto Natales -Puerto Williams -Punta Arenas, Chile -Putre -Rancagua -San Antonio, Chile -San Bernardo, Chile -Santiago, Chile -Talca -Temuco -Valdivia, Chile -Valparaiso
Other pages about Capitals of Chilean regions
-Antofagasta -Arica, Chile -Concepcion, Chile -Copiapo -Coyhaique -Iquique -La Serena, Chile -Puerto Montt, Chile -Punta Arenas, Chile -Rancagua -Santiago, Chile -Talca -Temuco -Valdivia, Chile -Valparaiso
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Other pages about Communes of Chile
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Concepcion,_Chile
