Pucón | |
|---|---|
 View of Pucón along Lincoyán street andVillarrica Lake | |
 Flag  Coat of arms  Map of Pucón commune in the Araucanía Region   Pucón Location in Chile | |
| Coordinates:39°16′36″S71°58′28″W / 39.27667°S 71.97444°W /-39.27667; -71.97444 | |
| Country | Chile |
| Region | Araucanía |
| Province | Cautín |
| Foundation | February 27, 1883 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Alcalde | Carlos Barra Matamala |
| Area | |
| 1,248.5 km2 (482.0 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 227 m (745 ft) |
| Population (2012 Census)[3] | |
| 22,081 | |
| • Density | 17.686/km2 (45.807/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 13,837 |
| • Rural | 7,270 |
| Sex | |
| • Men | 10,705 |
| • Women | 10,402 |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (CLT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−3 (CLST) |
| Area code | country 56 +city 45 |
| Website | www |
Pucón (Mapudungun: "entrance to thecordillera") is aChileancity andcommune administered by the municipality of Pucón. It is located in theProvince of Cautín,Araucanía Region, 100 km to the southeast ofTemuco and 780 km to the south ofSantiago. It is on the eastern shore ofLake Villarrica, andVillarrica volcano is located roughly 17 km to the south.
Pucón's location by a lake and volcano, along with its relatively stable climate, especially in summer,[4] make it a popular destination for tourists. It offers a variety of sports and activities for tourists, includingwater skiing,snow skiing,backpacking, white waterrafting andkayaking,horse back riding, naturalhot springs,zip line rides,skydiving and guided ascents ofVillarrica volcano.
During theconquest of Chile the Spanish founded the city ofVillarrica in 1552 in the area of what is now Pucón.[5] The Spanish carried outsignificant mining of gold inplacer deposits around this city.[5] However at some point in the 16th century it is presumed the gold placers were buried bylahars flowing down from nearbyVillarrica Volcano.[5] This prompted settlers to relocate the city further west at its modern location, abandoning this the site of Pucón.[5]
The modern settlement of Pucón was established in 1883 as a fort in the aftermath of theOccupation of Araucanía when the Chilean state subdued the native population ofAraucanía Region. It was a strategically advantageous spot because of its location at entrance of theTrancura Valley, where the Argentinean army had once pursued a group of Mapuches throughMamuil Malal Pass during theConquest of the Desert.
The first hotel in Pucón was the Gudenschwager, established in 1923, but it was in 1934 with the establishment of Gran Hotel Pucón that tourism became a popular activity in the area. In 1940 the first road between Villarrica and Pucón was built and in the 1970s the road toCaburgua Lake was finished.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1895 | 1,454 | — |
| 1907 | 3,508 | +7.62% |
| 1920 | 5,959 | +4.16% |
| 1930 | 8,937 | +4.14% |
| 1940 | 14,901 | +5.25% |
| 1952 | 17,197 | +1.20% |
| 1970 | 10,623 | −2.64% |
| 1982 | 12,589 | +1.43% |
| 1992 | 14,356 | +1.32% |
| 2002 | 21,107 | +3.93% |
| 2017 | 28,523 | +2.03% |
| 2024 | 32,321 | +1.80% |
| Source:"Censo de Población y Vivienda". National Statistics Institute. | ||
According to the 2002census carried out by theChilean National Statistics Institute, Pucón spans an area of 1,248.5 km2 (482 sq mi) and has 21,107 inhabitants (10,705 men and 10,402 women). Of these, 13,837 (65.6%) lived inurban areas and 7,270 (34.4%) inrural areas. The population grew by 47% (6,751 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.[3]
Pucón is a major centre ofadventure tourism in Chile, attracting national and foreigner visitors alike. Due to its striking natural surroundings which include volcanoes, lakes, waterfalls, nature reserves and hot springs, Pucón attracts tourism all year round.During the summer, popular tourist activities includehiking,rafting, horseback riding, bird watching, fishing, canopy trails, and canyoning. In winter and spring, it is possible to go skiing or snowboarding on the slopes of Villarrica volcano or visit one of the several thermal baths scattered around the nearbyValdivian temperate rain forest. These activities are easily arranged from the city itself, which harbours several tourist offices and travel agencies.
Despite its relatively small urban area, accommodation infrastructure in Pucón is well developed, ranging from backpacker hostels to luxury hotels. Chilean and international cuisine can be found in one of the town's several restaurants and cafes. More recently, Pucón has become a major destination forsecond home investments and amenity migration.[6]
Villarrica is the closest volcano to Pucón and is frequently climbed from the town. Other volcanoes in the area includeMocho-Choshuenco,Quetrupillán andLanín. Villarrica has had more than 82 eruptions since 1558, the most recent of which occurred on March 3, 2015. It is possible to climb it throughout the year, if weather and volcanic activity permit. During winter, the summit is completely covered by snow, and offers views of at least seven of the surrounding lakes.
El Cañi, meaning “sight that transforms”, is a private protected area of 500 hectares belonging to a non-profit organization.[7] It containshiking trails through ancientaraucarias,lengas,coigues, old volcanic craters and lagoons. It is administered by a group of farmers. The park is home to foxes,pumas,pudús (a small kind of deer), wild ducks andcondors, among many other species. A view point located at 1,550 meters altitude provides views of four nearby volcanoes:Villarrica,Quetrupillán,Lanín andLlaima.
National parks in the area includeVillarrica National Park,Huerquehue National Park andVillarrica National Reserve. Some of the main lakes near Pucón areVillarrica,Caburgua andTinquilco. The main river is theTrancura, which is used for kayaking and rafting. There are differentlevels of difficulty on the river, from easy family rides through Level III rapids to more difficult rides through Level V rapids.
There are several hot springs and spas in thecommune of Pucón and the surrounding area, including: Palguín, Rio Blanco, Huife, Quimey-Co and Los Pozones. The nearby commune ofCurarrehue also contains popular spas, including: Menetúe, San Luis, Trancura, Panqui and Ancamil.
Volcanic mudflows known aslahars are common in the history of Pucón and the vicinity of Villarrica volcano. In 1964, a lahar destroyed much of the woodlogging town ofCoñaripe. A 2014 study determined that the international road just east of thePucón Airport lies in a zone of high danger, as does the road connecting to the west with the town of Villarrica. The airport is in a low danger zone, while most of the urbanized area of the city was outside the possible paths for lahars.[8]
As a commune, Pucón is a third-leveladministrative division of Chile administered by amunicipal council, headed by analcalde who is directly elected every four years. Within theelectoral divisions of Chile, Pucón is represented in theChamber of Deputies by René Manuel García (National Renewal) and Fernando Meza (Social Democrat Radical Party) as part of the 52nd electoral district (together withCunco,Curarrehue,Villarrica,Loncoche,Gorbea andToltén). The commune is represented in theSenate by José Garcia Ruminot (National Renewal) and Eugenio Tuma Zedan (PPD) as part of the 15th senatorial constituency (Araucanía-South).
Previously the area had a German school, Deutsche Schule Pucón.[9]
The main road to access Pucón isChile Route 199, which begins inFreire at the intersection of the highwayRuta de la Araucanía, a section ofChile Route 5. With respect to intercity public transit, there are bus terminals with daily service toTemuco,Villarica,Cunco,Concepción, andSantiago, with additional stops along the way. The city is also served byPucón Airport, which can handle aircraft up to the size of aBoeing 737 jet.
Pucón travel guide from Wikivoyage| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
