Mollendo
Encyclopedia
Mollendo is a town bordering the Pacific Ocean in southern Peru
. It is located in the Arequipa Region
and is the capital of both the Islay Province
and the Mollendo District
. Mollendo was the main port in the Peruvian southern coast until Matarani was developed about 50 years ago; the port of Mollendo only serves fishermen for the local economy currently and all the commercial shipping is done through Matarani
12 kilometers north; the old port is in ruins. Mollendo's population more than doubles during the summer, mostly from people from Arequipa. The railroad used to run a passenger train daily, but a good highway connects Mollendo to the Panamerican Highway now and the train now only runs the summer express that goes down from Arequipa on Saturday and returns on Sunday; the beach is the main attraction, even though it is visited by the Humboldt Current
that brings cold water from Antarctica.
Mollendo exports wool and has industries producing cement
, textiles, canned fish
, and cheese
. It is also a popular beach resort. The Auxiliary Ship BAP Mollendo
(ATC-131) of the Peruvian Navy
is named after the town.
, puts the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua under the control of the Inca empire. Sixty three years later, in 1197 and according to Garcilazo de la Vega
, the Inca Cápac Yupanqui
, following traditional customs of the Inca Empire, selected four generals from his major staff and entrusted them the command of approximately twenty thousand soldiers (or Tuqui Titos) for the coast region conquest project.
Cápac Yupanqui's son, Sinchi Rocca, conquered all of Arequipa and Moquegua coast area. From this avent and ahead, Tambo is a main protagonist into the region history, due their geographical position and serving as weapons and food supply depot. Inca Yáhuar Huácac, successor of Inca Cápac Yupanqui, established his supply depots and headquarters in this valley, to march into Atacama (north Chilean region) direction to expand the territory of the Inca Empire.
The river basin formed by the Tambo river, probably conquest and occupied by external forces during several periods, generate a population with local and heterogeneous customs, leaving several vestiges about their civilization, suddenly attached to the remaining mixed etymology name from several languages such as Quechua
, Cocachacra, Challascapi, etc. Another external influences were the Kauiqui and Puquina with characteristic suffixes such as ando, endo, indo. Some examples are: Cachendo, Mollendo, Huarindo, Catarindo, etc.
A large population were located along the valley and nearing hills, serving it from subterranean waters. Influence of the sea was decisive on the valley and coast inhabitants were the mama coccha (the sea creator) provide them with fish and sea fruits.
Mollendo was invaded by Chilean forces under the command of Colonel Orozimbo Barbosa. The main idea of this army (transported by the Chilean Navy) was to wreak havoc on Southern Peru, so as to force the process of negotiations for peace between Peru and Chile. The invasion forces consisted of the 3rd Chilean Line Infantry Regiment, The Chilean Marines, One brigade of Chilean Sappers, and 30 Horse Cavalry. The defenses of Mollendo consisted of two small forts with no cannon ( which were days earlier transported to Arequipa) defended by 100 soldiers. The first to disembark were the Chilean Marines, who took the town without a struggle. The rest (Main Body) of the expedition landed on or near Islay, without opposition. On March 9, 1880, the Main Body of the expedition entered Mollendo. Colonel Barbosa with 500 soldiers left Mollendo towards Mejia in search of the defenders, leaving the 3rd Chilean Line Infantry in charge of the town, looting of homes quickly began. Colonel Barbosa arrived in Mejia, destroying the locomotives and railtracks to prevent reinforcements arriving from Arequipa
via rail. Colonel Barbosa surprised the defenders at Ensenada, taking 20 prisoners. Upon his return to Mollendo, he learned of the sacking of the town, punishing some members of his command. This resulted in some desertions.
ICAO Code (SPDO)
Southern Railway of Peru, which connects with Cuzco
and Puno
.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. It is located in the Arequipa Region
Arequipa Region
Arequipa is a region in southwestern Peru. It is bordered by the Ica, Ayacucho, Apurímac and Cusco regions on the north; the Puno Region on the east; the Moquegua Region on the south; and the Pacific Ocean on the west...
and is the capital of both the Islay Province
Islay Province
Islay Province is the smallest of eight provinces in the Arequipa Region of Peru.-Political division:The province is divided into six districts which are:* Cocachacra * Dean Valdivia * Islay * Mejía...
and the Mollendo District
Mollendo District
Mollendo District is one of six districts of the province Islay in Peru.-References:...
. Mollendo was the main port in the Peruvian southern coast until Matarani was developed about 50 years ago; the port of Mollendo only serves fishermen for the local economy currently and all the commercial shipping is done through Matarani
Matarani
Matarani is a port city in Arequipa Region, Peru. It is a major port on the southern coast of Peru. The port is operated by Tisur.-Pacific Ocean terminal of the Interoceanic Highway:...
12 kilometers north; the old port is in ruins. Mollendo's population more than doubles during the summer, mostly from people from Arequipa. The railroad used to run a passenger train daily, but a good highway connects Mollendo to the Panamerican Highway now and the train now only runs the summer express that goes down from Arequipa on Saturday and returns on Sunday; the beach is the main attraction, even though it is visited by the Humboldt Current
Humboldt Current
The Humboldt Current , also known as the Peru Current, is a cold, low-salinity ocean current that flows north-westward along the west coast of South America from the southern tip of Chile to northern Peru. It is an eastern boundary current flowing in the direction of the equator, and can extend...
that brings cold water from Antarctica.
Mollendo exports wool and has industries producing cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, textiles, canned fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, and cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
. It is also a popular beach resort. The Auxiliary Ship BAP Mollendo
BAP Mollendo
The Peruvian Navy Ship BAP* Mollendo is a vessel for transportation and logistics. With 18.400 tons displacement and 154 meters in length, was built in the shipyards of the Industrial Service of the Navy of Peru in El Callao. Was released on July 15 1970 and commissioned to the Navy May 25, 1972....
(ATC-131) of the Peruvian Navy
Peruvian Navy
The Peruvian Navy is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles from the Peruvian littoral...
is named after the town.
The Inca era
In 1134, the inca Mayta CápacMayta Capac
Mayta Cápac was the fourth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cuzco and a member of the Hurin dynasty. As son of Lloque Yupanqui, he was his heir and the father of Cápac Yupanqui...
, puts the regions of Arequipa and Moquegua under the control of the Inca empire. Sixty three years later, in 1197 and according to Garcilazo de la Vega
Garcilazo de la Vega
Garcilazo de la Vega may refer to:* Garcilaso de la Vega, 16th century Spanish poet and soldier* Garcilaso de la Vega , 16th century Peruvian historian and writer...
, the Inca Cápac Yupanqui
Capac Yupanqui
Cápac Yupanqui was the fifth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco and the last of the Hurin dynasty. He was the son and successor of Mayta Cápac. His wife Mama Cusi Hilpay or Qorihillpay was the daughter of the lord of Anta, previously a great enemy of the Incas...
, following traditional customs of the Inca Empire, selected four generals from his major staff and entrusted them the command of approximately twenty thousand soldiers (or Tuqui Titos) for the coast region conquest project.
Cápac Yupanqui's son, Sinchi Rocca, conquered all of Arequipa and Moquegua coast area. From this avent and ahead, Tambo is a main protagonist into the region history, due their geographical position and serving as weapons and food supply depot. Inca Yáhuar Huácac, successor of Inca Cápac Yupanqui, established his supply depots and headquarters in this valley, to march into Atacama (north Chilean region) direction to expand the territory of the Inca Empire.
First inhabitants
After Tiahuanaco's culture decadency and during the Inca era, Peruvian south coast were occupied for several tribes:- The "Tampus" stationed into today Tambo region.
- The "Chullis" corresponding to Chule zone.
- The "ChangosChangosChangos was a tribe of native South Americans who appear to have originally inhabited the Peruvian coast and spread south to the coast of Atacama, in northern Chile and further south. They lived from fishing, gathering shellfish, and hunting sea lions. In former times they used rafts of inflated...
" located between the Aranta and Islay zones.
The river basin formed by the Tambo river, probably conquest and occupied by external forces during several periods, generate a population with local and heterogeneous customs, leaving several vestiges about their civilization, suddenly attached to the remaining mixed etymology name from several languages such as Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
, Cocachacra, Challascapi, etc. Another external influences were the Kauiqui and Puquina with characteristic suffixes such as ando, endo, indo. Some examples are: Cachendo, Mollendo, Huarindo, Catarindo, etc.
A large population were located along the valley and nearing hills, serving it from subterranean waters. Influence of the sea was decisive on the valley and coast inhabitants were the mama coccha (the sea creator) provide them with fish and sea fruits.
War of the Pacific
During the War of the PacificWar of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
Mollendo was invaded by Chilean forces under the command of Colonel Orozimbo Barbosa. The main idea of this army (transported by the Chilean Navy) was to wreak havoc on Southern Peru, so as to force the process of negotiations for peace between Peru and Chile. The invasion forces consisted of the 3rd Chilean Line Infantry Regiment, The Chilean Marines, One brigade of Chilean Sappers, and 30 Horse Cavalry. The defenses of Mollendo consisted of two small forts with no cannon ( which were days earlier transported to Arequipa) defended by 100 soldiers. The first to disembark were the Chilean Marines, who took the town without a struggle. The rest (Main Body) of the expedition landed on or near Islay, without opposition. On March 9, 1880, the Main Body of the expedition entered Mollendo. Colonel Barbosa with 500 soldiers left Mollendo towards Mejia in search of the defenders, leaving the 3rd Chilean Line Infantry in charge of the town, looting of homes quickly began. Colonel Barbosa arrived in Mejia, destroying the locomotives and railtracks to prevent reinforcements arriving from Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
via rail. Colonel Barbosa surprised the defenders at Ensenada, taking 20 prisoners. Upon his return to Mollendo, he learned of the sacking of the town, punishing some members of his command. This resulted in some desertions.
Airport
The town of Mollendo is serviced by the small civilian Mollendo AirportMollendo Airport
Mollendo Airport is small regional airport that services the town of Mollendo, Peru and the local area. It is located south of the town, near the beach. It has only one runway and is operational only during the daytime....
ICAO Code (SPDO)
Railway
The town is served by the standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Southern Railway of Peru, which connects with Cuzco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
and Puno
Puno
Puno is a city in southeastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It is the capital city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province with a population of approximately 100,000. The city was established in 1668 by viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro as capital of the province of...
.
External links
- Sobre Mollendo
- Mollendo Airport War in the Pacific Mollendo Invaded
- MSN Map