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The city of 'Quillota' is located in the Aconcagua River valley, in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. It is the capital and largest city of Quillota Province where many inhabitants live in the surrounding farm areas of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay, and San Pedro. It is an important agricultural centre (mainly because the plantations of avocado and chirimoya {custard apple} trees).
Quillota is connected with the city of La Calera by the small town of La Cruz. The area's agriculture and landscape was described by Charles Darwin in his book ''The Voyage of the Beagle''. A nearby National Park (La Campana) holds a plaque at a viewpoint visited by him.
Quillota is 120 km from the capital Santiago, 60 km from the regional capital Valparaíso and is home to the Chilean Army'sschool of calvary and the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso.

Contents

Early inhabitants

Spanish colonization

Facts

Communesin the Province of Quillota

Early inhabitants

This area was inhabited by Native Americans from the Bato and Lleo-Lleo Culture, because of the fertil land south of the Aconcagua River. These natives where later influenced by Mapuches and Diaguitas. The Diaguitas are credited with the evolution of the local culture of the Aconcagua zone and are well known for their pottery.

Spanish colonization

Diego de Almagro arrived in the valley in 1536. Incan scouts directed him to a beautiful and very fertile valley where the "Quillotas" lived. Before him, a Spanish soldier from Peru called Don Gonzalo Calvo de Barrientos was captured by the Quillotas and lived in the valley, learning the local language and culture, during his captivity. Almagro was delighted with the valley, but he was searching for gold and finding none, returned to Peru.
Later in 1540, Pedro de Valdivia arrived in Chile with the title of "Governor of Chile". He arrived in the valley and built farms and houses, mainly for the slaves and the Indians who where working for him. Almost the whole area occupied by present day Quillota was Valdivia's property.
In 1717 Quillota was founded, originally named "Village of San Martin de la Concha of Quillota" in the valley bordering Mayaca Hill. The city was founded by the bishop, Luis Romero, and the governor, Don José Santiago Concha y Salvatierra. In 1585 Quillota became the administrative capital of a large province.

Facts

★ Motto: ''Ciudad creada con cariño'' (city created with love)

★ Mayor: Dr. Luis Mella Gajardo

★ Population: (census 2002) 75,921

Communesin the Province of Quillota

★ Quillota

★ La Calera

★ Nogales

★ La Cruz

★ Limache

★ Hijuelas