Pichilemu

Pichilemu
City
The Pichilemu city hall, as seen in April 2011
Flag Coat of arms Logo
Nickname(s): Surf Capital (Capital del Surf)
Location of the Pichilemu commune in O'Higgins Region
Coordinates: 34°23′31″S 72°0′50″W / 34.39194°S 72.01389°W / -34.39194; -72.01389
Country	Chile
Region	O'Higgins
Province	Cardenal Caro
Settled	January 24, 1544
Incorporated (city)	22 December 1891
Government
• Mayor	Roberto Córdova Carreño (2009–present)
• City Council	Councilors Felipe Bustamante Olivares Marta Urzúa Púa Aldo Polanco Contreras Mario Morales Cárceles Andrea Aranda Escudero Hugo Toro Galaz
Area
• Total	749.1 km2 (289.2 sq mi)
Elevation	27 m (89 ft)
Population (2012 census)
• Total	13,916
• Density	19/km2 (48/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	– (Spanish)
Time zone	Chile Time (CLT) (UTC-4)
• Summer (DST)	Chile Summer Time (CLST) (UTC-3)
ZIP codes	3220478
Area code(s)	(+56) 72
Website	www.pichilemu.cl

Pichilemu (Mapudungun: Small forest, pronounced: [pitʃiˈlemu]), originally known as Pichilemo, is a beach resort city and commune in central Chile, and capital of Cardenal Caro Province. The commune comprises an urban centre and twenty-two villages, such as Ciruelos, Cáhuil, and Espinillo. It is located southwest of Santiago, the capital of Chile. Pichilemu had over 13,000 residents as of 2012.

The Pichilemu area was long populated by the indigenous Promaucaes. European-Chilean development began in the mid-sixteenth century, as conquistador Pedro de Valdivia gave Juan Gómez de Almagro the Topocalma encomienda (which included the current territory of Pichilemu) in January 1541. Pichilemu was established as an "autonomous commune" on 22 December 1891, by decree of the President Jorge Montt and Interior Minister Manuel José Irarrázabal. Agustín Ross Edwards, a Chilean politician and member of the Ross Edwards family, planned to develop it as a beach resort on the Pacific Ocean for upper-class Chileans.

Pichilemu is home to five of the National Monuments of Chile: Agustín Ross Cultural Centre and Park; the wooden railway station, Estación Pichilemu; El Árbol tunnel; and the Caballo de Agua. Part of the city was declared a Zona Típica ("Traditional Area" or "Heritage Site") by the National Monuments Council, in 2004.