A Brief History of Santiago

Posted in Santiago by admin on August 30th, 2010

As one of the most modern cities in all of Latin America, it may be tough to imagine Santiago as the site of over almost nearly 470 years of Euro-centric history. Officially founded by Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Valvidia on February 12, 1541, the initial settlement was selected primarily because of its hospitable climate, ample vegetation and strategic positioning in terms of self defense from attackers. The original city was laid out in 126 blocks formed by the perpendicular cross sections between the East-West and North-South roads, running straight in equal intervals of close to 550 ft. In its early days, young Santiago, known then as “Santiago del Nuevo Extreme,” was forced to deal with inhospitable indigenous populations, most notably Incan ruler Manco Capac II, set against destroying the foreign land-occupiers. A series of smaller skirmishes finally flourish into full scale war between the Spanish-blooded residents of Santiago and their indigenous attackers. The conflict lasted for three full years before reinforcements finally arrived from Peru, ending the food shortages and isolation endured by the original Santiagoans.Spanish colonialism continued in Santiago up until February 12, 1817, when revolutionaries led by Jose de San Martin and Bernardo Higgens defeated Spanish loyalists in the Battle of Chacabuco, in Santiago’s northern outskirts. Subsequently, Chile declared its independence. Chile was thereafter governed as a Republic, at least nominally, with many longstanding cultural and educational entities established during this time period, lasting up until 1891. The Universidad de Chile, Quinta Normal and Teatro Municipal trace their roots to this era in city history, as well as a wide array of city parks,an externally connected railway system and paved streets.The 1930s began Santiago’s true ascent into the modern city you see today, nearly reaching its first million residents by 1940. The city continued to grow, predominantly unregulated, which led to many problems including poverty in the city’s poorer neighborhoods. When Santiago hosted the World Cup in 1962, a major turning point for the cityscape, Santiago’s older infrastructure was largely revamped and updated to better cater to its sizable population. Modernization has since been a trend in Santiago, as it continues to offer comparable or superior resources, whether for business, recreation or residence, to any city in the world.