Linares is a
ChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an city and commune located in the
Maule RegionThe VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
and lies in the
fertileThe term fertile describes a condition whereby organisms are able to produce physically healthy offspring.Fertile may also refer to:...
Chilean Central ValleyThe Central Valley , Intermediate Depression or Longitudinal Valley is the depression between the Chilean Costal Range and the Andes Mountains. The central valley should not be confused with Central Chile that encompasses part of the valley...
, 303 km (188 mi) south of
SantiagoSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
and 50 km (31 mi) south of
TalcaTalca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
, the
regionalThe VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
capital. Linares is the capital city of the
province of LinaresLinares is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . The provincial capital and most populous center is the city of Linares.-Administration:...
.
Demographics
According to the 2002 census of the
National Statistics InstituteThe National Statistics Institute of Chile is a state-run organization of the Government of Chile, created in the second half of the 19th century and tasked with performing a general census of population and housing, then collecting, producing and publishing official demographic statistics of...
, Linares spans an area of 1456.7 sqkm and has 83,249 inhabitants (40,518 men and 42,731 women). Of these, 68,224 (82%) lived in urban areas and 15,025 (18%) in rural areas. The population grew by 7.7% (5,933 persons) between the 1992 and 2002 censuses.
Geography
The municipality covers an area of 1.466 sqkm and the city proper, 16 sqkm. The rivers
AncoaAncoa is a river, tributary of the Achibueno, in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile.-External links:*], Chile]...
,
PutagánPutagán is a river in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. The Putagán is born in the foothills of the Andes and, flowing from east to west, passes south of the village of the same name...
and
AchibuenoAchibueno is a river, tributary of the Loncomilla, in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile, where it forms the border between the municipalities of Linares and Longaví....
are the main rivers that pass through the municipality or form its natural borders.
Most of the territory of the municipality is located within the central plain or "depresión intermedia" (
Valle Central de ChileThe Central Valley , Intermediate Depression or Longitudinal Valley is the depression between the Chilean Costal Range and the Andes Mountains. The central valley should not be confused with Central Chile that encompasses part of the valley...
). Some low altitude hills are located in the westernmost part of the municipality, while its easternmost part is marked by the presence of the foothills of the
AndesThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountains. The municipality of Linares is bordered on the west by
San JavierSan Javier, a Spanish language reference to Saint Francis Xavier, is sometimes used as a toponym in parts of the world where that tongue is spoken:-*San Javier, Santa Fe*San Javier Department, Córdoba*San Javier Department, Misiones...
; on the north by
Villa AlegreVilla Alegre a commune and city located in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. With , Villa Alegre is the smallest commune by area in the Maule Region. It sits above sea level.-Demographics:...
,
Yerbas BuenasYerbas Buenas is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. It lies in the geographical center of the country, on the fertile central plain, some south of the national capital of Santiago, south of Talca, the regional capital and north of Linares, the provincial...
and
ColbúnColbún is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. The commune has a population of over 17,000 inhabitants and covers an area of , making it the province's largest. Its capital, the town of Colbún, has 3,679 inhabitants...
; on the east, by Colbún, and on the south, by
LongavíLongaví is a Chilean city and commune located in Linares Province, one of the four provinces that make up the Maule Region, in the geographical center of Chile.-Geography:...
. The municipality of
ColbúnColbún is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. The commune has a population of over 17,000 inhabitants and covers an area of , making it the province's largest. Its capital, the town of Colbún, has 3,679 inhabitants...
occupies the easternmost strip of the province, where some of the highest provincial peaks are located, as are the sources of several of the main rivers.
Climate
Linares has a mild
Mediterranean climateA Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
. The summers are hot and mainly dry (November to March) with temperatures reaching up to 32 -33 degrees Celsius on the hottest days. The winters (late May to mid September) tend to be rather humid and rainy, with typical maximum daily temperatures of 14-15 degrees Celsius, and minimum just above freezing.
| Month |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Avg temp. °F (°C) |
70
(21) |
69
(21) |
63
(17) |
57
(14) |
52
(11) |
48
(9) |
47
(8) |
49
(9) |
52
(11) |
57
(14) |
62
(17) |
68
(20) |
58
(14) |
| Avg high °F (°C) |
87
(31) |
85
(29) |
78
(26) |
70
(21) |
61
(16) |
55
(13) |
55
(13) |
58
(14) |
63
(17) |
69
(21) |
76
(24) |
83
(28) |
70
(21) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) |
54
(12) |
54
(12) |
49
(9) |
44
(7) |
44
(7) |
42
(6) |
39
(4) |
40
(4) |
42
(6) |
46
(8) |
49
(9) |
54
(12) |
46
(8) |
| Rainfall inches (millimeters) |
0.4
(10) |
0.1
(3) |
0.8
(20) |
1.8
(45) |
6.4
(163) |
7.3
(187) |
8.1
(206) |
4.0
(61) |
3.3
(83) |
0,8
(20) |
0,5
(13) |
0,3
(8) |
27.4
(694.13) |
| Source: Weatherbase |
History and current status
Linares was founded on May 23, 1794, as the "Villa de San Ambrosio de Linares" by Ambrosio O'Higgins, the then Viceroy of Peru and
Bernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
's father. The city counts among its natives important statesmen, politicians, poets, writers, and musicians and is an active commercial, agricultural, industrial, and service center.
The city of Linares houses the artillery school of the
Chilean ArmyThe Chilean Army is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 45,000-person army is organized into seven divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade....
.
Religion
According to the 2002 census of the municipality of Linares, 75.41% (or 45,987 persons) of the total population aged 15 and older identified themselves as Roman Catholic; 15.74% described themselves as
evangelical ProtestantEvangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
s; and 0.61% as
Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
. Additionally, 0.70% of the total population aged 15 and older identified themselves as Mormons, approximately 2.59% declared themselves followers of other religions, and 4.95% of the population declared themselves atheist or agnostic.
Linares is a
seeAn episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of a
dioceseThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Linares, or "Diócesis de San Ambrosio de Linares", was established in Linares, Chile by Pope Pius XI on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla Notabiliter Aucto....
of the Roman Catholic Church, with nine active parishes and many chapels in the comuna. There are also many churches that serve the various Protestant
denominationA Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s and places of worship for Jehovah's Witnesses or Mormons.
Main sights
The city and its surroundings have many attractions, for example:
- The Cathedral Church of San Ambrosio
Aurelius Ambrosius, better known in English as Saint Ambrose , was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was one of the four original doctors of the Church.-Political career:Ambrose was born into a Roman Christian family between about...
de Linares. This is one of the finest religious buildings built in ChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in the 20th Century. It was conceived after the BasilicaThe Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
of Saint Ambrose, in MilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, a noble building in the Romanesque style. The Cathedral of Linares was built after the old cathedral had been destroyed by an earthquake. Mgr. Juan Subercaseaux Errázuriz, a visionary churchman and second bishop of the Diocese of LinaresThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Linares, or "Diócesis de San Ambrosio de Linares", was established in Linares, Chile by Pope Pius XI on October 18, 1925 by means of the Bulla Notabiliter Aucto....
, was the bright mind that conceived the new Cathedral and gave beginning to its works.
- The parish church, Corazón de María — a church declared a National Monument for its Gothic style
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
and beauty
- The "Museo de Arte y Artesanía" (Museum of Arts and Crafts)
- Some old houses of colonial style
- A main library
Some natural attractions in the surrounding area include the
piedmontPiedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
of the Andes mountains, with forests of pines and other trees; lakes (the artificial Colbún lake); rivers, and good camping and hiking areas.
Other cities and towns in the province include:
ColbúnColbún is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. The commune has a population of over 17,000 inhabitants and covers an area of , making it the province's largest. Its capital, the town of Colbún, has 3,679 inhabitants...
,
PanimávidaPanimávida is a town in the Chilean commune of Colbún, Linares Province, Maule Region. Panimávida is well-known in Chile for being one of the oldest hot springs and resort spas in the country....
,
LongavíLongaví is a Chilean city and commune located in Linares Province, one of the four provinces that make up the Maule Region, in the geographical center of Chile.-Geography:...
,
ParralParral is a city and commune and in the Linares Province of central Chile's seventh region of Maule.-History:Parral was founded in 1795 by the Viceroy of Peru, Ambrosio O'Higgins...
,
RetiroRetiro might refer to the following:*Retiro, Antioquia, a municipality in the Colombian department of Antioquia*Retiro, Buenos Aires, a neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina...
,
San JavierSan Javier, a Spanish language reference to Saint Francis Xavier, is sometimes used as a toponym in parts of the world where that tongue is spoken:-*San Javier, Santa Fe*San Javier Department, Córdoba*San Javier Department, Misiones...
,
Villa AlegreVilla Alegre a commune and city located in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. With , Villa Alegre is the smallest commune by area in the Maule Region. It sits above sea level.-Demographics:...
and
Yerbas BuenasYerbas Buenas is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. It lies in the geographical center of the country, on the fertile central plain, some south of the national capital of Santiago, south of Talca, the regional capital and north of Linares, the provincial...
.
Administration
As a commune, Linares is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a
municipal councilA municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
, headed by an
alcaldeAlcalde , or Alcalde ordinario, is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo and judge of first instance of a town...
who is directly elected every four years. The 2008-2012 alcalde is Rolando Rentería Möller.
Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Linares is represented in the
Chamber of DeputiesThe Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
by Jorge Tarud (
PPDThe Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
) and Romilio Gutiérrez (UDI) as part of the 39th electoral district, (together with
ColbúnColbún is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. The commune has a population of over 17,000 inhabitants and covers an area of , making it the province's largest. Its capital, the town of Colbún, has 3,679 inhabitants...
,
San JavierSan Javier is a Chilean city and commune located in the Province of Linares, Maule Region. The city lies in the geographical center of the country, some south of Santiago, to the northwest of the provincial capital, Linares, and to the south of Talca, the regional capital...
,
Villa AlegreVilla Alegre a commune and city located in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. With , Villa Alegre is the smallest commune by area in the Maule Region. It sits above sea level.-Demographics:...
and
Yerbas BuenasYerbas Buenas is a Chilean town and commune in Linares Province, Maule Region. It lies in the geographical center of the country, on the fertile central plain, some south of the national capital of Santiago, south of Talca, the regional capital and north of Linares, the provincial...
). The commune is represented in the
SenateThe Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
by
Hernán LarraínHernán Larraín Fernández is a conservative Chilean lawyer, university lecturer, and politician; he is a current Senator and former President of the Senate, and is also currently serving as the president of the Independent Democrat Union. Larraín was elected to the Senate representing the 11th...
(UDI) and Ximena Rincón González (
PDCChristian democratic parties are those political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and...
) as part of the 11th senatorial constituency (Maule-South).
Notable natives and residents of Linares (city and province)
- Juan Ignacio Molina
Fr. Juan Ignacio Molina was a Chilean Jesuit priest, naturalist, historian, botanist, ornithologist and geographer...
(Abate Molina), a Chilean priest and naturalist, born in Guaraculén, a farm located in Villa AlegreVilla Alegre a commune and city located in Linares Province, Maule Region of Chile. With , Villa Alegre is the smallest commune by area in the Maule Region. It sits above sea level.-Demographics:...
comuna.
- Carlos Ibáñez del Campo
General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo was a Chilean Army officer and political figure. He served as dictator between 1927 and 1931 and as constitutional President from 1952 to 1958.- The coups of 1924 and 1925 :...
, Army General and twice the President of Chile;
- Arturo Alessandri Palma, politician, statesman and twice the President of Chile
- Valentin Letelier, educator, writer and politician
- Pedro Dartnell
Division General Pedro Pablo Dartnell Encina was a Chilean military officer and member of the Government Junta of Chile in 1925.-Early life:...
, General, Army commander-in-chief and politician
- Ismael Fuentes
Ismael Ignacio Fuentes Castro is Chilean football defender, who currently plays for the Mexican club Jaguares de Chiapas.He began his career with Chilean club Rangers in 2001. He also spent one season with Colo-Colo....
, footballer
Artists and intellectuals
- Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
, famous poet and Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winner, born in ParralParral is a city and commune and in the Linares Province of central Chile's seventh region of Maule.-History:Parral was founded in 1795 by the Viceroy of Peru, Ambrosio O'Higgins...
, Linares ProvinceLinares is one of four provinces of the central Chilean region of Maule . The provincial capital and most populous center is the city of Linares.-Administration:...
- Margot Loyola Palacios
Margot Loyola Palacios is a musician, folk singer and researcher of the folklore of Chile and Latin America in general.Loyola has been active as a musician and musical ethnographer/anthropologist for many decades...
, noted folk musicFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
ian and researcher
- Edilberto Domarchi Villagra, poet
- Samuel Maldonado Silva, poet, novelist and Journalist. He founded the journal "Sucesos", the "Grupo Ancoa" and the "Colegio de Periodistas de Linares". He has a lot of publications and thousands of articles.
- Pedro Olmos, painter
- Manuel Francisco Mesa Seco, poet and writer
- Eduardo Anguita
Eduardo Anguita Cuéllar was a Chilean poet, who was awarded the Chilean National Prize for Literature in 1988.- Life :...
, writer
- Rubén Campos Aragón, poet
- Max Jara
Maximiliano Jara Troncoso Hollow , better known as Max Jara, was a Chilean poet. He won the Chilean National Prize for Literature in 1956....
, poet
- Jerónimo Lagos Lisboa
Jerónimo Lagos Lisboa was a Chilean poet.He was born in San Javier de Loncomilla, Linares Province, Maule Region, Chile, in 1883. He was a president of the Chilean Writers Society. He was awarded several poetry prizes, among them the Municipality of Santiago Poetry Award for his works "Tiempo...
, poet
- Gustavo González Rodríguez, journalist and university professor
- Juan Enrique Coeymans Avaria, civil engineer, PhD and university professor.
- Manuel Astica Fuentes, writer
- Faruk Jose Nome Aguilera, PhD - Full Professor, Federal University of Santa Catarina - Brasil.
- Humberto Pinochet, painter now living in Canada
- Juan Cristobal Pinochet, painter now living in Canada
See also
Edilberto Domarchi, a poet from Linares
External links
Municipality of Linares Museum of Arts and Crafts/Museo de Arte y Artesanía Diocese of Linares