Pisagua, Chile
Pisagua, Chile
Pisagua is a port on the Chilean Pacific Ocean, located in the municipality of Huara in the Tarapacá region of northern Chile. Pisagua is located in a remote location, with the sea on one side and a large expanse of desert on the other.
At the Ruta5 – A40 junction leading to Pisagua, travelers will cross a barren landscape with dry, desert-like terrain and steep gradients. Despite the harsh climate and lack of vegetation, a trip to Pisagua is full of history and stunning scenery.
Traveling to Pisagua is not for the faint of heart. The winding roads and steep ascents and descents are hair-raising to say the least. The road is very narrow and there are no obstacles to prevent vehicles from falling over the edge. As you climb up the hill, the scenery changes and you are rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding countryside. However, this trip was not just about the scenery; The sound of the road, wind and the occasional bird song enhance the experience, making it a sensory adventure.
Arriving at Pisagua is like stepping back in time. The town is small, with about 300 inhabitants, and is surrounded by mountains and sea. The city has a rich history and was an important port during the nitrate boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city has a certain charm with its colorful buildings and cobbled streets. The relaxed atmosphere and friendly locals make it a great place to relax and learn about the area's history and culture. The city also has a museum showcasing the history of the pizza melon and saltpeter industries.
The mouth of Quebrada Tilihuice and the ruins of the old Pisagua are based on Francisco Riso Patrón and the Diccionario Geográfico de las Provincias de Tacna and Tarapaca Tacna y Tarapacá), the name Pisagua comes from Quechua and means a place where water is scarce: Pis - scarcity, agua - water.
Pisagua was founded in 1611 by a decree of the Governor of Peru to create a base to curb the illegal trade in gold and silver from the important mineral deposits of Potosí and Oruro in the highlands of the "Audiencia Charcas". British and Dutch pirates also operated in the area.
The settlement, now known as "Pisagua Viejo" (Old Pisa Gua), is located on the north side of Quebrada Tiliviche and is part of an extensive ancient waste deposit. The 1836 tsunami forced Pisagua to move to its current location. This is a small plain between the Punta Picaro and Punta Pisagua peninsulas, about 3 kilometers south of Old Pisagua. Some mudbrick ruins still exist.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Pisagua became one of the most important ports in the country (after Valparaíso and Iquique), housed the offices of major banks, and was one of the most beautiful cities on the South Pacific coast.
On the bare ground you can clearly see the earthworks, dams and cuttings of the railway to the city. The old train station still stands in Pisagua itself, where there are other interesting (if semi-abandoned) buildings made of Oregon pine. The clock tower, the municipal theater and the hospital are good examples, all from the saltpeter age. Today, Pisagua is no longer the proudly wealthy port it once was, but an isolated hamlet of just 260 inhabitants, part of the municipality of Huara, which itself has only 2,600 inhabitants.
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"Nitrate boom"
It was not until 1810, when large deposits of nitrate ("Salitre" or saltpeter) were discovered in the Corregimiento de Tarapacá that Pisagua became an important port due to its important role in the export of this product.
pacific war
Pisagua was captured by Chilean troops during the "Battle of Pisagua" on November 2, 1879, during the Pacific War. After the war, Pisagua was transferred from Peruvian hands to the Chilean government.
railroad history
Construction of a standard gauge railway line connecting Pisagua to the interior began around 1865, when Pisagua was still owned by Peruvians. Work continued under the Chilean government, and by 1935 Pisagua became the northern terminus of a 400-mile (640 km) network of main and branch lines, connecting with the line's main terminus in Iquique. The train rises from sea level in Pisagua to the inner plateau, passing through three reverse zigzags and a steep incline. Supplies for the inner city and the nitrate works were brought from the coast, with the nitrate used as return loads for export. The primary transport is always nitrate, followed by fuel, passengers, perishable goods, parcels, general merchandise and livestock. The steam locomotives and the city's water supply relied on two wells in Dolores, 53 kilometers from Pisagua, from which water still comes today.
When the nitrate boom ended, the port of Pisagua retained some importance due to its new role in the fishmeal industry. However, by the late 1950s, Pisagua had lost much of its population and economic base, experienced a sharp decline, and was no longer even the third most important city in the province of Tarapacá (after Arica and Iquique ).
Pisagua Prisoner of War Camp
Pisagua was often used as a concentration camp for political prisoners. This happened to Carlos Ibáñez del Campo (a gay man) and Gabriel González Videla (a communist , anarchists and revolutionaries), and more recently during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (a left-wing radical). Since the end of Pinochet's military regime, many bodies have been found under the port's waters and several graves have been discovered in Pisagua.
