Punta Arenas, Chile

From Free net encyclopedia

Image:Panoramica punta arenas3.jpg Image:Cities of Tierra del Fuego.png

Punta Arenas is the main city in the Strait of Magellan and the capital of the Región de Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena, Chile.

Located at Template:Coor dm on the Brunswick Peninsula, Punta Arenas is one of the southernmost cities in the world. Discovered in the 17th century by the explorer John Byron, and founded as a city in 1849, Punta Arenas was originally named 'Punta Arenosa', a literal translation of the English name 'Sandy Point'.

The Punta Arenas harbour was considered one of the most important in Chile before the construction of the Panama Canal, because it was used by ships to prepare for the difficult passage around Cape Horn. Today it is mostly used by tourism cruises and scientific expeditions. The city is often a jumping-off point for Antarctic expenditions, although these days Ushuaia is the more frequently used port.

Punta Arenas is the biggest city in the Chilean Patagonian Region. In 2000, it had a population of 120,000. The seasonal temperature in Punta Arenas is greatly moderated by its proximity to the ocean, with weather.com specifying average lows in July near 31 °F (−1 °C) and highs in January of 57 °F (14 °C). This is not to say that it is known for stable constant temperatures, only small variability with season. Punta Arenas is also quite dry, with only 1.7 inches (43 mm) of rain in its wettest month of May. Among Chileans the city is also known for its strong winds (up to 130 km/hour). Winds tend to be strongest during the summer when city officials put up ropes in the downtown area to assist with unique wind currents created by the buildings.

Tourism

Image:Punta arenas hill.jpg Patagonia is recognized worldwide for amazing sights and wilderness. Interesting places to visit include:

• Penguin colonies in Seno Otway and Magdalena Island.
• Rey Jorge Island Natural Sea Park (whale observation).
• Torres del Paine National Park, near Puerto Natales.
• Seno Skyring
• Puerto Hambre, an early Spanish colony which failed and under the name of Port Famine became a Royal Navy base. It was here that Captain Pringle Stokes, the captain of HMS Beagle, shot himself in his cabin due to severe depression and temporary command was given to Lieutenant W.G. Skyring.

The city of Punta Arenas has a rich history, reflected in places such as:

• Regional Museum, with historical artifacts and part of the Braun-Menéndez Mansion.
• Maggiorino Borgatello Museum, Salesian Society museum of natural history and prehispanic ethnic groups.
• Punta Arenas Cemetery.
• Cerro Mirador Ski Center, which has a beautiful view of the Strait of Magellan.

See also

• Torres del Paine
• Puerto Natales
• Strait of Magellan

External links

Template:Commons

• Municipalidad de Punta Arenas
• La Prensa Austral.
• General information about Punta Arenas.
• Guide to Chilean Patagonia.
• Photo Gallery of Punta Arenas and Surroundings.
• Satellite picture by Google Mapsbe:Пунта Арэнас

de:Punta Arenas es:Punta Arenas fr:Punta Arenas it:Punta Arenas ja:プンタアレナス lt:Punta Arenasas no:Punta Arenas pl:Punta Arenas sv:Punta Arenas tr:Punta Arenas