Sewell, Chile
Encyclopedia
Sewell is an uninhabited Chile
an mining town located in the commune of Machalí
in Cachapoal Province
, O'Higgins Region
, on the slopes of the Andes
, at an altitude between 2,000 and 2,250 metres. The town was founded in 1904 by the Braden Copper Co. to extract the copper
in the El Teniente
mine, and, in 1915, it was named after the company's first president, Mr. Barton Sewell. In 1918, it already housed 14,000 people.
Following many years of active life and achieving the construction and exploitation of the largest underground mine in the world, in 1977 the company started moving families to the valley and soon after the camp was being dismantled.
The Chilean Government declared Sewell a National Monument in 1998, while the UNESCO
designated it a World Heritage Site
in 2006.
Sewell is known as the city of stairs as there were no roads, only a train that brought workers and their families to the camp.
Visiting the site is only allowed to tour operators, it's not possible to access the area with private vehicles.
Tour operators are available in Santiago and Rancagua.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an mining town located in the commune of Machalí
Machalí
Machalí is a Chilean commune and city in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Machalí spans an area of and has 28,628 inhabitants . Of these, 26,852 lived in urban areas and 1,776 in rural areas...
in Cachapoal Province
Cachapoal Province
Cachapoal Province is one of three provinces of the central Chilean region of O'Higgins . Its capital is the city of Rancagua .-Geography and demography:...
, O'Higgins Region
O'Higgins Region
The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers....
, on the slopes of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, at an altitude between 2,000 and 2,250 metres. The town was founded in 1904 by the Braden Copper Co. to extract the copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
in the El Teniente
El Teniente
El Teniente is an underground copper mine in the Chilean commune of Machalí in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region, near the town of Sewell, above mean sea level in the Andes. Mining at El Teniente is reported to have started as early as 1819...
mine, and, in 1915, it was named after the company's first president, Mr. Barton Sewell. In 1918, it already housed 14,000 people.
Following many years of active life and achieving the construction and exploitation of the largest underground mine in the world, in 1977 the company started moving families to the valley and soon after the camp was being dismantled.
The Chilean Government declared Sewell a National Monument in 1998, while the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
designated it a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 2006.
Sewell is known as the city of stairs as there were no roads, only a train that brought workers and their families to the camp.
Visiting the site is only allowed to tour operators, it's not possible to access the area with private vehicles.
Tour operators are available in Santiago and Rancagua.