Curicó
Curicó (from Mapuche: kurü ko 'aguas negras') is a commune, city and capital of the Curicó Province, located in the Maule Region in central Chile. Curicó is one of the most populated cities in the longitudinal or central Chilean valley.
The area of the commune of Curicó reaches 1,328 km². The characteristic products of the city are cakes, fruits, cement, sugar, tomato sauce and international quality export wines. It is one of the most important service centers in the central zone and is considered the agro-industrial capital of Chile due to its constant economic growth. It integrates —together with the communes of Hualañé, Licantén, Molina, Rauco, Romeral, Sagrada Familia, Teno, Vichuquén, Talca, Constitución, Curepto, Empedrado, Maule, Pelarco, Pencahue, Camarico, San Clemente and San Rafael— Electoral District N º 17 and belongs to the IX Senate District.
According to the data provided by the INE in 2022, the city of Curicó has a population of 176,530 inhabitants, which makes it one of the cities with the highest population growth in the country, one of the 25 most populous in Chile and the second in importance in the Maule Region, after Talca.
Curicó was one of the cities most affected by the 2010 Chilean earthquake. As a result of that earthquake, a large part of the downtown area of the city -known as the historic center- of which many buildings still they have not been rebuilt. An example of this is the Curicó Hospital, which is currently under construction with a completion date for the year 2020.
Symbols
Coat of arms
The symbol of the city is a heraldic distinctive that interprets the most honorable civic traditions of the first Spanish settlers of Curicó; it represents a silver knight, mounted on a black horse, in a green field, killing a golden snake and in its lower part it bears the phrase "Noble and Loyal Villa de San José de Buenavista de Curicó" while in the upper one, a gold mural crown.
This shield is a readaptation of the coat of arms of the field master Lorenzo de Labra y Corvalán de Castilla, owner of the land where the primitive and current plans of the city were raised. This symbol was about to be decreed by the Spanish colony, when the War of Independence broke out.
Shortly before the bicentennial of Curicó, the Spanish community carried out a detailed study and managed to rescue the shield, whose model is preserved in the National Historical Museum in Santiago. On September 2, 1943, one month after the city's anniversary, the municipal council of the time, under the presidency of mayor Carlos Castro, declared this shield as the official insignia of the city.
Using the shield
- In internal or public ceremonies, where the Municipality of Curicó has interference.
- In public acts of city institutions that manifest their desire to use this emblem.
- In all official documentation of the Municipality, stamps and stamps of the Corporation.
History
Drawing from the Banco de Curicó (1881-1959).
Curicó Square in 1901.
Monument to Luis Cruz Martínez, by Guillermo Córdova.
Curicó's bitch.
Church of San Francisco.
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The territories currently occupied by the city of Curicó were inhabited by native Curis or blacks, groups of indigenous people who took the name of the region from the color of their lands near streams and wetlands.
Originally called San José de Buena Vista de Curicó, the city was founded on October 9, 1743, thanks to donations from residents, Captain Pedro Nolasco Solorza and Mónica Donoso y Navarro, widow of Labra, by authorization and mandate of José Antonio Manso de Velasco, Governor of Chile and, later, Viceroy of Peru.
In 1747, Governor Domingo Ortiz de Rozas decided to move its location 3 kilometers to the east, at the foot of the hill where the Franciscan convent was located (current location), due to the high humidity that existed in its former location. But the new town did not prosper, despite its layout and previous planning, because the residents of the old town did not move to the new town; only after the great earthquake of May 25, 1751, when the old one was left on the ground, the inhabitants were forced to relocate.
The order of the Mercedarians (current church of La Merced) was installed in 1755, while the city, despite its strategic location, did not progress due to its low population. The town was also famous for its exaggerated religiosity and conservatism due to the influence of the local convents and the aristocratic families that dominated the city.
Curicó is characterized for being one of the cities with the most identity in the country, thanks to the good neighborhood atmosphere, its hero Luis Cruz Martínez and its soccer club.
Curicó obtained its title of 'city' in 1830 (Guevara, 1890, §9). The city's hero is Luis Cruz Martínez, a Chilean soldier from the Pacific War, who fell in combat in 1882, at the Battle of Concepción in Peru. It is the communication, commercial and economic center of the neighboring agro-industries. During the 2010 earthquake, it suffered serious damage: sixty percent of the houses and ninety percent of the historic center collapsed, including the San Juan de Dios Hospital, which had to be partially demolished.
Geography
Climate
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Curicó has a Mediterranean climate with a long dry season in summer. Relatively hot from November to March, with maximum temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius on the hottest days.
Winter (June to August) is wetter, with typical daily highs of 12 degrees Celsius and lows of just above freezing. The average rainfall is 701.9 mm per year.
The climate is medium and rainfall is more abundant in the northern part of the valley, and the effects are seen through better grazing, irrigation systems are very important for the development of agriculture.
 Curicó's average climate parameters (1970–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Ene. | Feb. | Mar. | Open up. | May. | Jun. | Jul. | Ago. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Annual |
| Temp. max. abs. (°C) | 37.3 | 37.4 | 33.6 | 31.6 | 24.8 | 21.0 | 29.0 | 25.6 | 27.0 | 31.6 | 32.2 | 33.6 | 37.4 |
| Average temperature (°C) | 29.2 | 28.4 | 25.5 | 20.3 | 15.6 | 12.4 | 12.1 | 14.1 | 17.1 | 20.4 | 24.1 | 27.5 | 20.5 |
| Average temperature (°C) | 22.1 | 21.2 | 18.3 | 14.2 | 10.9 | 8.7 | 8.0 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 14.5 | 17.6 | 20.5 | 14.7 |
| Temp. medium (°C) | 12.7 | 12.0 | 9.7 | 7.2 | 6.0 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 5.9 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 11.6 | 7.9 |
| Temp. min. abs. (°C) | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | -5.2 | -3.8 | -4.6 | -6.3 | -4.6 | -2.0 | -0.8 | 0.0 | 1.5 | -6.3 |
| Total precipitation (mm) | 2.6 | 2.2 | 11.5 | 34.8 | 84.3 | 168.4 | 156.1 | 123.5 | 62.1 | 38.1 | 19.6 | 9.7 | 712.9 |
| Days of precipitation (≥) | 0.6 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 4.2 | 9.4 | 11.9 | 10.5 | 8.3 | 6.4 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 61.0 |
| Hours of sun | 362.7 | 307.9 | 254.2 | 168.0 | 114.7 | 102.3 | 75.0 | 136.4 | 162.0 | 226.3 | 300.0 | 341.0 | 2550.5 |
| Relative humidity (%) | 51.0 | 54.0 | 60.0 | 71.0 | 79.0 | 86.0 | 84.0 | 81.0 | 73.0 | 66.0 | 58.0 | 53.0 | 68.0 |
| Source No. 1: Chilean Meteorological Directorate | |||||||||||||
| Source No. 2: Universidad de Chile (fresh hours) | |||||||||||||
Administration
Municipality
The administration of the commune is headed in the period 2021-2024 by the mayor Javier Muñoz Riquelme (PDC), advised by the councillors:
- Leoncio Saavedra Concha (PC)
- Paulina Bravo Valenzuela (PH)
- Raimundo Canquil Vargas (PS)
- Javier Ahumada Ramírez (PDC)
- Patricio Bustamante Puchi (Ind-PDC)
- Inés Núñez Méndez (Ind.)
- Francisco Sanz Abad (RN)
- Ivette Cheyre Serrano (UDI)
Parliamentary representation
The commune of Curicó belongs to Electoral District No. 17 and Senatorial Circumscription No. 9 (Maule Region). It is represented in the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress by deputies Benjamín Moreno (PLR), Felipe Donoso (UDI), Hugo Rey (RN), Jorge Guzmán (Evópoli), Francisco Pulgar (Ind-PDG), Alexis Sepúlveda (PR) and Mercedes Bulnes (CS) in the period 2022-2026. In turn, the Senate is represented by Juan Antonio Coloma Correa (UDI), Rodrigo Galilea Vial (RN), Juan Castro Prieto (Ind-RN), Ximena Rincón (PDC) and Álvaro Elizalde (PS) in the period 2018-2026.
Neighborhoods
The main sectors and neighborhoods of the city are:
- Historical centre: quadrant bound by the avenues Camilo Henríquez (north), Manso de Velasco commonly called Alameda (oriente), San Martín (sur) and O'Higgins (poniente).
- Sector North: Rauquén, La Marquesa, Apumanque, Santa Fe, El Boldo, Mataquito, Conavicop, Villa Marista, Santa María del Boldo, Villa Don Rodrigo, Don Manuel del Boldo.
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- Sector South: Santa Inés, Villa San José, Los Alerces, Guaiquillo, Iansa, Nilahue, Portales, Ampurdan School.
- Sector East: Zapallar, avenida España, Sol de septiembre, Pyrenees, Rucatremu, Aranjuez, Javiera Carrera, Primavera, villa Pucara.
- Sector West: Balmaceda, Galilee, Garrido Firefighter, Black Waters, El Cisne, Vatican, Electrification, Southern Garden, Maule Abajo, La Foresta.
Places
In addition to Curicó, the commune is made up of other smaller localities, of a rural nature, among which the following stand out:
- Tutuquén: located to the west of the city; it is accessed from the route J-620 (av. Colón). It is divided into 2 sectors, Alto and Bajo; it is characterized by its table grape crops, as well as tomato plantations (Tutuquén Bajo). It had a railway station corresponding to the missing branch to Licantén, in the field that today occupies Frutícola Dosal, known exporter of kiwis and apples.
- Sarmiento: 7 km north of Curicó, it has many references to Argentina because its name honors the memory of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, which was founded on May 25, 1810 (coinciding in the centenary of the neighboring nation) and that its founder was the Argentine farmer Evaristo Sánchez, who donated part of his lands to raise the people and railway station. Sarmiento is practically converted into a dormitory city and is estimated to already exceed 10,000 inhabitants. The main accesses from Curicó are the avenues El Boldo and Rauquén, and, from Route 5, the Callejón Cabalín.
- The Guindos: rural town located 9 kilometres north of Curicó and can be accessed by Sarmiento or Isla de Marchant.
- Old Convent: farm of about 200 inhabitants, located on the ground where it was originally founded Curicó in 1743
- Potrero Grande: A distance of about 30 kilometers to the mountain range along the route J-65, is a precordillerano spa very busy in summer; it has a estuary of the same name, a tributary of the Lontué, suitable for the bathroom and surrounded by a natural environment.
- The Niches: located at kilometer 10 of the J-65 route, in the middle of fruit plantations, is a growing town; it has a retainer of carabineros, Cesfam, firefighters and schools. In this area there is a home of elderly people belonging to the Las Rosas Foundation and the University of Maule's Agronomy Campus.
- Other towns include: Barros Negros, Isla de Marchant, Rincón de Sarmiento, Los Lirios, Vista Hermosa, Maquehua, Zapallar, Los Cristales, El Prado, La Obra, El Maitén, Los Castaños, Chequenlemu, Huañuñé, Marengo, San Luis, La Mosqueta, Las Piedras, San Jorge, Santa Rosa de la Copec, El Hollín, El Porvenir
Economy
Primary sector
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The main economy of the city is based mainly on the primary sector such as agriculture, with large areas of fruit plantations such as apple trees, cherry trees, vines, kiwis, among others, as well as annual crops such as beets, industrial tomatoes, wheat, corn and vegetables for fresh consumption. There are several companies that export fresh fruit —Agricom, Unifrutti, Copefrut, Del Monte, David del Curto, Iansa, Carozzi, Agrícola Cofan, among others— and wine-making wineries —Viña San Pedro, Concha y Toro, Santa Rita and others— for export and national market.
Secondary and tertiary sector
In the tertiary sector, the city provides all the services of financial companies, transportation, department stores, professional institutes, universities, health, and entertainment. In 2012, the largest chipboard panel plant in the country, belonging to the company Arauco, began operations.
In 2007, the most important shopping center in the Maule region was inaugurated, Mall Curicó (105,000 m²), belonging to Inmobiliaria Mall Viña del Mar S.A. Among its anchor stores are Ripley, Paris, Jumbo and Easy. In 2018, as part of the first phase of the shopping center expansion plan, the H&M store began operations, being the first branch of the chain between Santiago and Concepción. During the year 2019, a gastronomic boulevard was inaugurated in this same place, with unique stores within the Maule Region, among these stand out: Burger King, Starbucks, Manarola and La Serrana. Within the framework of this same commercial expansion, Cineplanet and the branch for the sale of Apple products, MacOnline, were inaugurated.
In 2019, Mercado Quadra began operating, a commercial initiative that in its first stage included the opening of a Tottus supermarket. In the future, the opening of an Energy gym and commercial premises is contemplated.
In 2018, the number of companies registered in Curicó was 5,562. The Economic Complexity Index (ECI) in the same year was 1.77, while the economic activities with the highest Revealed Comparative Advantage index (RCA) were Manufacture of Bituminous Mixtures (41.15), Production of Seeds for Flowers, Meadows, Fruits and Vegetables (39.54) and Production in Nurseries, except Forest Species (28.5).
Transportation
Bus Terminals
Curicó has 2 bus terminals:
- Rural Terminal of Curicó (terminal clamp): Arturo Prat 780, corner Maipú.
- Tur Bus: Avenida Manso de Velasco 015
Buses leave from the two terminals to Santiago, La Serena Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Rancagua, San Fernando, Talca, Linares, Chillán, Laja, Concepción, Los Angeles, Victoria, Temuco, Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Montt, among other cities and also daily departures to the rural communes belonging to the province of Curicó. The 3 companies that make routes from Santiago to this city are the following
- Andimar
- Pullman Bus
- Tur Bus
Railway
The State Railways Company operates the Chillán-Central Station long-distance train service. Until 2015, there was the Expreso Maule, a short and medium-distance metro train whose main destinations were the most important cities in the Maule region. The station in Curicó, which works next to the building collapsed in the earthquake of February 27, 2010, is located at the corner of Arturo Prat street and Maipú.
Air transportation
Curicó, has the General Freire aerodrome, of the Civil Aeronautics Directorate, located in the northern access to the city, with flights of private and commercial planes and ships of the Chilean Air Force, also having equipment and personnel of the Meteorological Directorate. The Los Lirios de Sarmiento aerodrome also operates, located 7 kilometers north of the city, in the sector of the same name.
Education
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Basic and secondary education
According to the Chilean Ministry of Education, in the district of Curicó there are 90 pre-school, basic and secondary education establishments, of which 39 are municipal schools (19 urban and 20 rural), 45 subsidized private schools and 6 public schools. private. In 2007, it had an enrollment volume that exceeded 35,000 enrolled students, broken down as follows: pre-basic (3,051 students); basic (19,182); humanist-scientific average (7538); professional technical average (3798).
Universities
The commune has the following university campuses:
- University of Talca
- Catholic University of Maule
- Technological University of Chile
At the beginning of the 1990s, he made an attempt to have his own institute of higher studies, the University of Curicó. However, it did not materialize due to insufficient requirements met to operate.
Professional institutes and technical training centers
The headquarters of six educational institutions are present:
- AIEP Professional Institute
- Instituto Santo Tomás
- INACAP
- Instituto Profesional Valle Central
- CFT San Agustín
Media
Newspapers
One of the oldest newspapers in Chile is published in the city, La Prensa de Curicó, founded in 1898; Its headquarters are located in front of the Plaza de Armas, in a building that was destroyed by the 2010 earthquake (they temporarily occupied a space on Sargento Aldea street). As a local newspaper, El Centro was considered, which circulated throughout the Maule region and whose headquarters were in Talca.
Digital press
- Maule Journal [1]
In 2009 the information portal https://vivimoslanoticia.cl was born, which currently belongs to VLN Radio. On February 26, 2015, the fortnightly newspaper Provinciamia began to circulate in the 9 communes of the province of Curicó. [2]
Radio stations
- FM
- 88.3 MHz Radio Montina
- 88.7 MHz The FM Conqueror
- 89.1 MHz Unforgettable Radio
- 89.9 MHz Radio Favorita
- 91.5 MHz Radio Carolina
- 92.7 MHz Radio Condell
- 93.3 MHz Radio Caramelo
- 93.9 MHz Radio Corporación
- 95.5 MHz Radio Tropical Latina
- 96.1 MHz Radio Universidad de Talca
- 97.3 MHz FM Style
- 97.7 MHz DNA Radio Chile
- 98.5 MHz Radio Bío-Bío
- 99.9 MHz Radio Curicana
- 101.1 MHz Cooperative Radio
- 102.3 MHz Radio Nuevo Mundo
- 103.7 MHz Radio Vida
- 104.3 MHz Lola FM
- 104.7 MHz Radio Carnival
- 105.7 MHz Radio VLN
- 106.1 MHz Digital FM
- 106.5 MHz Radio Alfaomega
- 107.5 MHz New Time
- AM
- 640 kHz Radio Corporación
- 1260 kHz Radio Condell
- 1450 kHz Radio Tropical Latina
Television
In Curicó there are three local television channels: Channel 11 (open TV signal), Conexión 99 (cable signal that transmits on channel 99 of VTR) and channel 25.1 Vivo TV, in addition to the reception of all the national coverage channels, which broadcast their programming from Santiago.
- VHF
- 3 - TVN
- 5 - Channel 13
- 7 - Chilevision
- 9 - Mega
- 11 - Channel 11 Curicó
- 13 - The Network
- TDT
- 11.1 - Channel 11 Curicó
- 22.1 - HD contivision
- 22.2 - Music scene
- 25.1 - Live TV.
- 50.1 - Campus TV
Tourism
Wine culture is a characteristic element of the city, which is manifested through celebrations by zones and production. Between March 15 and 20 of each year the Harvest Festival is celebrated in the city, a festival with a rich tradition of Creole culture and the history of the city, influenced by the wine production of almost five centuries. From Curicó there is a tourist circuit through the vineyards of the valley.
One of the main attractions of the city is the Plaza de Armas, declared a Typical Zone; surrounded by sixty phoenix palm trees brought from the Canary Islands, it has sculptures, water fountains, an Eiffel-style iron kiosk "for civic acts" declared a National Monument. Among the first are the bronze bust of the founder of the city José Antonio Manso de Velasco, the work of the artist Hortensia Alexandre, and the monument to the toqui Lautaro, carved out of a trunk by the well-known sculptor from Vichuquén Heraclio Calquín (unfortunately, the product of vandalism, the traditional spear of the Mapuche leader has disappeared). In the past, there were black-necked swans in the parade ground.
Curicana cakes are part of the popular and cultural tradition of the city, as well as part of the typical Chilean confectionery. Among the main producers, Tortas Montero is characterized by its classic tortas, which are highly demanded by small vendors in the sector and by the same tourists who visit the province. made the biggest cake in the world.
Cerro Condell, located in the center of the city, is very crowded during the national holiday tours. It has a height of 99 meters above the plane and 310 above sea level and an area of 45.8 hectares; In it you can find viewpoints, the monument to the Immaculate Conception, swimming pools, children's games in various sectors, picnic areas, pedestrian paths, an access road by car and also the sector of radio communication antennas.
Festivities
- Festival of the harvest of Curicó: organized by the Municipality, is celebrated every March with the participation of the main vineyards of the valley; every year the harvest is dedicated to a different city and country, representing which the ambassador attends.
- Fiesta de Chilenidad celebrated during the second week of September dedicated to highlighting our country's own customs.
- Procession of the Virgin Carmen
- Expopesebres: Different institutions, especially educational ones, expose their mangers in the Plaza de Armas adorned and illuminated
- Curicó Coastal Meeting
- Party of sandwiches and casseroles
You can also find different festivals and fairs that take place nationwide, such as Oktoberfest, held in the Alameda Manso de Velasco.
Sports
Cycling
Curicó is called the "capital of Chilean cycling", since the best cyclists in the country have started in this city and have made international achievements, including Roberto Muñoz, Manuel Aravena, José Medina, Luis Sepúlveda, the brothers Marco and Marcelo Arriagada, Carlos Correa, Luis Paredes, José Avendaño, Richard Rodríguez.
Curicó has a team called “La Higuera-bequick-Master Curicó”, where they are present from the Children to Elite categories. Outstanding in this team are the cyclists Maite Ibarra (3 times National Champion), Vicente Aliaga (3 times National Champion) The Arriagada Pizarro Brothers (sons of former Olympian Marcelo Arriagada), Juan Almarza, Carlos Rodríguez (multiple national champion and National record in the 500mts); Víctor Santa María and Alexis Ramírez great exponents of Mtb.
Football
The city of Curicó has a professional soccer team called Provincial Curicó Unido, which plays in the First Division. Founded in 1973, it is closely identified with the city and its inhabitants, and is one of the few Chilean professional soccer teams to follow the Sports Corporation model. They have won the Third Division 2005, Primera B 2008 and Primera B 2016-17 titles. It is home to the La Granja Stadium, the main sports venue in the city, which has a capacity for 8,278 spectators, remodeled in 2010 through the Bicentennial Stadium Network and complies with FIFA standards.
There were other professional clubs such as Deportivo Alianza, which played in the Second Division between 1954 and 1960; Luis Cruz Martínez (Second Division, from 1962 to 1966), who won the 1962 Preparation Cup (the most important achievement of soccer from Curicó and Maulino) by beating Universidad Católica 2-1 in the final; and Badminton, created in Santiago, but which moved to the city and played representing it in the Second Division in 1970 and 1971.
In amateur soccer, Curicó was represented by teams such as Juventud 2000, Liceo de Curicó, Orilla de Martínez, Provincial Curicó and Samuel Reyes Academy.
Rodeo
In rodeos, riders such as Ramón Cardemil, Alfonso Navarro Urbina and many others have stood out. The city has the Medialuna La Granja where various tournaments are held; The Curicó Rodeo Association is the one that has produced the most national champions in all of Chile: its riders have won the national title 14 times (1962, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991 and 1993).
Athletics
In the city, important athletics competitions have been held, especially at the school level, with the La Granja Stadium as the main stage. The most outstanding athlete born in the city was Alejandra Ramos, named the "queen of the middle distance" by the Athletic Federation of Chile, since she obtained gold medals at the South American level, she achieved national records in tests of 800, 1,500 and 3,000 flat meters that are maintained to this day, and represented the country at the Los Angeles Olympic Games 1984.
Rally
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The city has hosted events for the Mobil Rally, the country's biggest nut sport festival, with prominent national and international drivers. The dates of the competition held in the city have been four: 2011, 2012, 2018 and 2019.
Basketball
The city has a professional team called Club Deportivo Liceo Curicó, which participated in the Major Division of Chilean Basketball between 1983 and 1991. After retiring from the league and after years of inactivity, it was Provincial Curicó Basketball who came to fill that void that the Lyceum had left, by participating in Libcentro A in 2013, but at the end of that year Provincial Curicó went into recess due to lack of resources and support. Two years later, Deportivo Liceo returned to activity competing in Libcentro A until 2017. It plays in the Center Conference of the Second Division of the Chilean National Basketball League, hosting the Abraham Milad Gymnasium, which has a capacity of 4,000 people approx.
Rugby
In 2005, one of the first rugby clubs in the city, Curicó Rugby Club, was founded in three categories (children, youth and adults), and has participated in different regional and national championships since then.
It is characterized by being public, since the other organizations are private, from schools.
American Football
On May 22, 2017, the city's first American football team was born, Guepardos de Curicó, which has participated since 2018 in the National Tournament in the adult and youth categories.
Fonts
- Census 2002 figures published by INE (National Institute of Statistics)
- Quality of life index of the communes of Chile 2013, special of Mercury
- Quality of Life Index of Chilean Communes 2013 ICVU-CChC
- Study on urbanization in Latin American cities