Chile

CHILE

LA HISTORIA

Diego de Almargo arrived in 1536 and settled the country for Spain. Chileans formed a government independent from Spain in 1812, but true independence was won in 1820. In 1973, Augusto Pinochet took control in a brutal coup d’état. In 1988, Chile returned to its democratic traditions.

LA COSTA PACÍFICA: ONLY 180 KM WIDE THE CHILEAN BEACHES TAKE UP MORE THAN 6, 000 KM OF THE PACIFIC COAST.

SANTIAGO: THE CAPITAL DE CHILE, WAS FOUNDED IN 1541 BY THE SPANISH EXPLORER, PEDRO DE VALDIVÍA. TODAY THE CITY IS VERY MODERN.

EASTER ISLAND, LA ISLA DE RAPA NUI: CONTAINS STONE STATUES THAT WERE CREATED IN THE XII AND XVII CENTURIES. SEE PICTURES IN BOOK ON PAGE 152

LA CUECA: THE NATIONAL DANCE OF CHILE AND REPRESENTS THE COURTING PERIOD BETWEEN EL NOVIO Y LA NOVIA 

EL DESIERTO DE ATACAMA: THE DRIEST DESERT IN THE WORLD IS LOCATED IN THE NORTH OF CHILE.  

EL ALTIPLANO DE LOS ANDES: IN THE NORTH OF CHILE, AT A HEIGHT OF MORE THAN 4, 500 METERS, IT IS THE REGION WHERE LLAMAS, VICUÑAS, GUANACOS AND ALPACAS LIVE. THESE TYPES OF ANIMALS ARE WELL ADAPTED TO EXTREME CONDITIONS.  

EL PARQUE NACIONAL LAGUNA SAN RAFAEL: IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF CHILE, IT HAS A SPECTACULAR GLACIER THE COLOR OF SEA GREEN.

LAS TORRES Y LOS CUERNOS DEL PAINE: THE HIGH PEAKS OF THE MOUNTAINS REACH MORE THAN 2, 000 KM SOUTH OF SANTIAGO.

LA ISLA CHILOÉ

Vivid colors and wooden designs characterize the houses on this southern island

IQUIQUE

This city in northern Chile has examples of mudejar architecture, an Arabic style introduced by Spaniards

LO MODERNO Y LO ANTIGUO

Colonial architecture contrasts with modern architecture in the capital city of Santiago, giving it a European feel.

PLATOS CON MARISCOS

Chileans eat a great variety of seafood from the Pacific Ocean. This dish is called curanto.

EL PASTEL DE CHOCLO

EL PASTEL DE CHOCLO

Is a meat pie topped with mashed corn

LA FIESTA DE LA TIRANA

LA FIESTA DE LA TIRANA:

The town of La Tirana near Iquique hodls this major festival each July. The festival has its roots in Incan ceremonies, Chinese carnivals, and Spanish fiestas.

LOS MAPUCHESTHE PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN CHILE CAN BE SEEN IN THEIR CUSTOMS, HANDICRAFTS, TRADITIONAL DRESS, AND FESTIVALS.

PABLO NERUDA AND GABRIEL MISTRAL

Thes two famous Chilean poets each won a Nobel Prize in Literature.

PEDRO LIRA

Gained international fame for this painting, The Founding of Santiago.

VÍCTOR JARA  

VÍCTOR JARA

On September 11, 1973, the Chilean army under Augusto Pinochet toppled the elected government of Salvador Allende. Chile was ruled by a dictatorship until 1990. The politically inspired music known as la nueva cancion chilena lost one of its best known representatives, Victor Jara, in the rperession following the coup.

VÍCTOR JARA

This mural in Santiago is about Jara’s music. In your library or on the Internet, try to find a Victor Jara song. How does it compare to the political songs in the USA?

1. WHAT DOES ONE FIND ON THE ISLAND OF RAPA NUI?

More than 600 stone structures of Moais

2. WHEN WAS THE CITY OF SANTIAGO FOUNDED? 

In 1541, by the Spanish explorer Pedro de Valdivia.

3. WHAT IS THE NATIONAL DANCE OF CHILE?

La cueca

WHAT IS THE DRIEST DESERT IN THE WORLD?

The Atacama desert in northern Chile.

WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE PEAKS THAT RISE UP VERTICALLY?

Las Torres y los Cuernos del Paine

WHAT ARE THE HOUSES LIKE ON THE ISLA DE CHILOÉ?

They have vivid colors and wooden designs.

WHAT IS THE ARCHITECTURE MUDÉJAR?

Mudéjar is an Arabic style of architecture introduced by the Spaniards.

WHAT ARE THE ROOTS OF LA FIESTA DE LA TIRANA?

The festival has its roots in Incan ceremonies, Chinese carnivals, and Spanish fiestas.

HOW DO THE MAPUCHE PRESERVE THEIR CUSTOMS?

In their customs, handicrafts, traditional dress, and festivals.