Bicentennial Month

The long weekend between Friday the 17th and Monday the 20th of September is an exceptional time in Chile where the country will celebrate 200 years as an independent nation.

Offices, malls and supermarkets will all be closed as the country will celebrate this time with familiar gatherings, traditional dancing and lots of delicious Chilean foods. In the patriotic atmosphere there will be parades and festivities and the aroma of barbeques, or asados, will fill the air.

We want to take advantage of this occasion to briefly summarize the history of this wonderful country.

In the year 1536, Diego de Almagro was the first European to arrive in Chile. 

In 1541, Pedro de Valdivia founded the capital of Santiago de Chile, which today is one of the biggest cities in South America with over six million inhabitants.

On September 18, 1810, the first group of people joined forces to form the national government. It was the beginning of the struggle for an independent nation.

In 1818 Chile was pronounced independent from Spanish rule.

In 1879, Chile fought against Peru and Bolivia for precious natural resources in the north of the country in the Pacific War. 

In the year 1880, the Museo de Bellas Artes was created. It is one of the most important museums in Chile and one of the oldest in South America. It is worth a visit to see some of the 2,700 exhibits from national and international artists.

Since 1888, Chile made Easter Island, Rapa Nui, a part its territory. The island is situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 3,000 kilometers from the mainland of South America. The Island is known for its amazing and mysterious stone sculptures, the Moais. In 1995, the island was designated a National Park. UNESCO declared the island as a World Cultural Heritage site for not only its geography, but for its rich cultural history.

In 1934 women were given the right to vote. Chile was one of the first countries in Latin America to grant these rights to women.

The National Stadium, Estadio Nacional, was inaugurated in 1938 replicating the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

Throughout Chile’s history, the country has suffered many terrible earthquakes. In 1960, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in the world, 9.5 on the Richter scale, struck the southern coast of Chile.

In 1962, the World Cup was held in Chile. The winners were Brazil, but Chile took third place.

In 1971, Pablo Neruda, a Chilean poet, received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Today you can visit his houses in Santiago, Valparaíso and Isla Negra.

On September 11, 1973, a military coup was successfully carried out starting the military dictatorship of Pinochet.  This era was marked by horrible violations of human rights, but also by stable economic development.

In 1975, Santiago de Chile celebrated the inauguration of the first Metro line. Today there are 106 stops on this large and modern system.

In 1990, the government transitioned back to a democracy when the left won the majority of the votes in the national election.

In 2006, Michelle Bachelet was inaugurated as the first woman president in Chile.

Since the beginning of 2010, Sebastian Piñera is the president of Chile. He entered office at a difficult time after the huge 8.8 earthquake in February. At the moment, Chile is working to free 33 miners that are trapped in a mine in the north of the country. The workers will be reached by the end of the year and hopefully all will be rescued alive.

We hope through this brief historical synopsis that we have increased you interest in Chile and awaken your travel urges.
In our office, we have many offers awaiting your inquires!

Friday the 17th through Monday the 20th of September our office will be closed.
Happy Bicentennial!

Team Chile Inside