Concepción

Concepcion is the second city in importance of the Republic of Chile with 889,725 inhabitants (2002 census).
History
Concepcion was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1550 north of the Bio-Bio 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 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 Bio-Bio River.
27 February 2010 Earthquake
On February 27, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Concepcion, 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 Concepcion is classified as Koppen 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 Concepcion.
Cultural life
To an outsider, there may be confusion between the demonyms of the inhabitants 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 Chilean rock music and many famous rock groups in Chile started up in Concepcion.
cepcion 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 Bio-Bio.
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
Concepcion municipality
El Sur, newspaper of Concepcion
Viveconce, Event schedule of Concepcion
Octava, Website directory
HelloChile - Spanish tutoring and tourism in and around the city of Concepcion, Information in English about the Chilean life and places to visit
Municipal Library of Concepcion
WorldFlicks in Concepcion (Chile): Photos and places on Google Maps
Concepcion in the Encyclopedia Britannica
1550 establishments
1550s establishments in South America
16th-century establishments in Chile