LAGO LLANQUIHUE

The Prussian naturalist Bernardo Eumon Philippi was one of the first Europeans to take an interest in this great lake south of Osorno (the third largest in South America); which, according to the natives, was haunted by evil spirits and fabulous monsters. The Spanish conquistadors had already visited it several centuries before, but it was forgotten after the Mapuche reconquest. Philippi arrived on the shores in 1842, amazed by the vastness of the lake and the majestic snow-covered volcano. The naturalist became enthusiastic about this southern region and convinced nine artisan families from the city of Hessen to settle there. In 1846, 34 German settlers landed and settled in Santo Tomas, on the banks of the Bueno River, north of Osorno. Two years later, new German families arrived in the region, while Vicente Pérez Rosales was entrusted with the delicate task of managing the settlement around Valdivia. The influx of German settlers kept growing. It was necessary to unravel the mysteries of the virgin forest to gain new territories, and finally Rosales reached the Llanquihue lake, while discovering the Reloncaví estuary, which proved to be an admirable new gateway to take possession of this region. In 1852, settlers landed in Playa Maitén, in front of present-day Puerto Octay, and in November of the same year the sailboat Susanne landed in Valdivia with 105 new immigrants. They were sent to the place called Mellipulle, which became Puerto Montt, on February 12, 1853. The colony of Llanquihue, a few kilometres to the north, was soon established. Linaza and nabo (flax and turnip) were grown around Octay and sent to Valparaíso. Further east of the lake, the cultivation of cebada perla (barley) and pure linen textile factories were the main activity. Little by little, the first breweries, salting and tanning industries, wicker textile factories and beehive factories appeared. In 1856 the towns of Puerto Varas, Llanquihue and Frutillar were officially founded. One year later, there were 212 settlers on the south and west shores of the lake. In 1860, there were approximately 1,570 German settlers between Osorno and Puerto Montt. From 1875, the eastern shore began to be occupied. The railway, which appeared around 1909-1912, then opened up this region to the then very difficult communications. Today, it is one of the tourist poles of Chile.