Concepción

Concepción is the second city in importance of the Republic of Chile with 889,725 inhabitants (2002 census).

History

Concepción was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Bío-Bío River, at the site which is today known as Penco. At that time it was given the name Concepción del Nuevo Extremo. The new settlement of Concepción was just a few kilometers north of La Frontera (The Frontier), the boundary between Spanish territory and the land of the Mapuche, an American Indian ethnic group that remained independent until the 1870s.  The settlement was formally recognized by the Spanish authorities as a town two years later by a royal decree. It was given a coat-of-arms that is still in use today.

Earthquakes and tsunamis, which razed the town in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730 and 1751, led the authorities to move the town to its current site in the Valle de la Mocha, alongside the Bío-Bío River.

27 February 2010 Earthquake
On February 27, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Concepción, killing more than 700 people and injuring thousands nationwide. Following the earthquake, geologists relying on global positioning satellite (GPS) data concluded that the city had been displaced roughly 3 meters (10 feet) to the west as a result of the event.  Fortunately, the city avoided the tsunami that followed the earthquake.

Climate
The climate of Concepción is classified as Köppen climate classification csb, with a dry summer nadir in February. It has an oceanic influence which keeps temperatures mild throughout the year. Wet snows are possible in winter, but snow does not remain for long.
The chart at right provides a climate summary for Concepción.

Cultural life
To an outsider, there may be confusion between the demonyms of the inhabitants of Concepción and the nearby city of Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepción being where Penco currently stands, inhabitants of Concepción are called penquistas while inhabitants of Penco are known as pencones.

Concepción is one of the most active cities in Chilean rock music and many famous rock groups in Chile started up in Concepción.
cepción has the second largest concentration of universities in Chile, and is home to three major universities. Concepción currently has four traditional universities:
 Universidad de Concepción
 Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
 Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
 Universidad del Bío-Bío.

Gallery

Twin Towns 
  La Plata, Argentina
  Monterrey, Mexico
  Auckland, New Zealand
  Bethlehem, Palestine
  Guayaquil, Ecuador
  Cuenca, Ecuador
  Cascavel, Brazil
  Minnesota, USA

Bibliography 
 Ida Stevenson Weldon Vernon (1969) Pedro de Valdivia, Conquistador of Chile, Greenwood Press
 John Milton Nickles, Marie Siegrist (1965) Bibliography and Index of Geology Exclusive of North America, Geological Society of America, v.28

References

Other websites
 Concepción municipality 
 El Sur, newspaper of Concepción 
 Viveconce, Event schedule of Concepción 
 Octava, Website directory 
 HelloChile - Spanish tutoring and tourism in and around the city of Concepción, Information in English about the Chilean life and places to visit 
 Municipal Library of Concepción 
  WorldFlicks in Concepción (Chile): Photos and places on Google Maps 
 Concepción in the Encyclopedia Britannica 

1550 establishments
 
1550s establishments in South America
16th-century establishments in Chile