Concepción, Chile#History

File:Plano de la Bahía de Concepción del Reino de Chile en 1744 - AHG.jpg before the 1751 earthquake]]

File:Habillement des habitants de la Conception, Chile.jpg

File:Atlas pittoresque pl 036.jpg cacique in Concepción in 1846]]

Concepción was founded by Don Pedro de ValdiviaIda Stevenson Weldon Vernon (1969) Pedro de Valdivia, Conquistador of Chile, Greenwood Press in 1550 north of the Bío Bío River, at the site which is today known as Penco. At that time it was given the name Concepción de María Purísima del Nuevo Extremo (Mary Immaculate Conception of the New End). The new settlement of Concepción was just a few kilometers north of La Frontera (The Frontier), the boundary between Spanish territory and the land of the Mapuche, an American Indian ethnic group that remained independent until the 1870s. The settlement was formally recognized by the Spanish authorities as a town two years later by a royal decree. It was given a coat-of-arms that is still in use today.

At the time of the Spanish arrival to the Concepción area chronicler Jerónimo de Vivar noted local Mapuches wore gold and silver bracelets and "sort of crowns". This is interpreted either as Incan gifts, war spoils from defeated Incas, or the adoption of Incan metallurgy.{{Cite journal |last=Silva Galdames |first=Osvaldo |date=1983 |title=¿Detuvo la batalla del Maule la expansión inca hacia el sur de Chile? |url=https://revistas.uchile.cl/index.php/CDH/article/download/46464/48492 |url-status=dead |journal=Cuadernos de Historia |language=es |volume=3 |pages=7–25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201013520/https://revistas.uchile.cl/index.php/CDH/article/download/46464/48492 |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |access-date=January 10, 2019}}

Although Concepción was a significant military settlement for the Captaincy General of Chile, it was overrun and destroyed by Mapuche armies in 1554, and once again after being refounded in 1555. Concepción was restored during the governorship of García Hurtado de Mendoza when he landed there and built a fort on the Alto de Pinto in 1557. The town was refounded once more on January 6, 1558, by captain Jerónimo de Villegas. It became the headquarters of the military forces engaged against the Mapuche in La Araucanía over the next two centuries, growing to a population of 10,000 despite a siege in 1564 and other attacks by the Mapuche. Concepción was the home of the Real Audiencia from 1565 to 1575.

Earthquakes and tsunamis, which razed the town in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730 and 1751, led the authorities to move the town to its current site in the Valle de la Mocha, alongside the Bío Bío River; the old site lay empty until March 29, 1842, when the present town of Penco was founded.

The new site for the town of Concepción became the main town of the Intendancy of Concepción, whose jurisdiction extended from the Maule River to La Frontera. The first Intendant of Concepción was the Irishman Ambrose O'Higgins, Marquis of Osorno, who later became Royal Governor of Chile and Viceroy of Peru.

When the First National Government Board met in Santiago on September 18, 1810, citizens of Concepción joined up. Concepción was used as the point of entry by the Spanish Army in the attempt by the Viceroyalty of Peru to re-conquer Chile. Concepción politicians and soldiers became a significant political force in the newly independent country.

On January 1, 1818, Ambrose O'Higgins's son, Bernardo O'Higgins, proclaimed and took the oath of the Chilean War of Independence in the main square of Concepción, which since then has been known as "Plaza de la Independencia". Until the moment of independence, the city had been the scene of various engagements in its old and new settlements.

On February 20, 1835, the town again was largely destroyed by an earthquake and had to be rebuilt.

By 1875, a key British community and German colony existed within the province. By 1895, there was an even larger Spanish presence.{{Cite book |last=Edmundson |first=William |url=https://archive.org/details/historybritishpr00edmu |title=A History of the British Presence in Chile: From Bloody Mary to Charles Darwin and the Decline of British Influence |date=2009 |publisher=Palgrave MacMillan |isbn=9780230114838 |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historybritishpr00edmu/page/n138 126] |url-access=limited}}

The Universidad de Concepción, founded in 1919, became the first secular private university in Chile. The neighboring harbor of Talcahuano is the site of the largest naval base in Chile.

On February 27, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Concepción, killing more than 521 people and injuring thousands nationwide. Following the earthquake, geologists relying on global positioning satellite (GPS) data concluded that the city had been displaced roughly {{convert|3|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} to the west as a result of the event.{{cite news |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/09/chile.earth.shifts/index.html?hpt=T2 |title=Chile quake moves city more than 10 feet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100312141611/http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/09/chile.earth.shifts/index.html?hpt=T2 |archive-date=March 12, 2010 |date=March 9, 2010 |access-date=March 10, 2010}} The tsunami that followed missed the city.{{cite magazine |magazine=Time |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969570,00.html |title=Quake Response Doesn't Live Up to Chile's Self-Image |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100306092346/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1969570,00.html |archive-date=March 6, 2010 |first=Eben |last=Harrell |date=March 4, 2010 |access-date=March 4, 2010}}

After the 2010 Chile earthquake, a prison riot began in Concepción's El Manzano prison following a failed escape attempt by the inmates. Different parts of the prison were set on fire and the riot was controlled only after the guards shot into the air and received help from military units.El Mercurio, March 1. Cuerpo C, page C13 As of March 5, 2010, a Peruvian field hospital has been deployed to the city.UKPA, [https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iBff_XdP-pA7r-utFKQZ9iV3hxiA "Foreign hospitals help out Chile"]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, March 6, 2010 (accessed March 6, 2010)

Like most of the Chilean territory, the Concepción region is seismically active, with much of Concepción destroyed by a violent earthquake in 1939. An earthquake in 1953 damaged 15% of the town's buildings. Another major earthquake in 1960 had a nearby epicenter.John Milton Nickles, Marie Siegrist (1965) Bibliography and Index of Geology Exclusive of North America, Geological Society of America, v.28

On February 27, 2010, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck at 35.846°S, 72.719°W, {{convert|115|km|mi|abbr=on}} NNE of the city. The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 0334 GMT on Saturday at a depth of {{convert|35|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The effects were felt as far away as São Paulo, Brazil—{{convert|2870|mi|km|order=flip}} away.{{cn|date=April 2025}}

Concepción is known as "the university city"{{Cite web |title=Concepción |url=http://www.bblatinamerica.com/es/chile/20-biobio/56-concepcion.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019014107/http://www.bblatinamerica.com/es/chile/20-biobio/56-concepcion.html |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |website=bblatinamerica.com}}{{Cite web |title=Turismo en Concepción 2017: Vacaciones de verano en Concepción |url=http://www.welcomechile.com/concepcion/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130203114648/http://www.welcomechile.com/concepcion/ |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |website=welcomechile.com}} thanks to the numerous universities within the urban agglomeration,{{Cite web |last=www.universia.cl |title=MAPA GEOGRAFICO DE LAS UNIVERSIDADES SOCIAS DE UNIVERSIA |url=http://servicios.universia.cl/contenidos/mapas/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204094950/http://servicios.universia.cl/contenidos/mapas/ |archive-date=December 4, 2013 |access-date=January 16, 2013 |website=universia.cl}} such as the Universidad de Concepción, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción and Universidad del Biobío. This city also has numerous headquarters for many other universities. In addition, this metropolis has a large educational offer, focused on institutes, centers of technical formation and the universities aforementioned.

File:Campanil udec.jpg]]

File:San andres ucsc.JPG]]

File:Siglo XXI de la Universidad del Bío-Bío.jpg]]

File:Uss.jpg, Concepción headquarters, located at the Laguna Las Tres Pascualas]]

The University Pencopolitana whose name was Pontificia Universidad Pencopolitana de La Concepción (Pontifical Pencopolitana University of The Conception) was an old university founded through a decree of the Bishop of Concepción, delivered to the administration of the Society of Jesus which functioned between the years 1724 and 1767. On May 24, 1751, an earthquake followed by a tsunami, ravaged the city causing serious damage, including the destruction of the library of the university and all of its funds. As a product of the fury of the waters, a rich collection of texts of the governance of southern Chile were lost, which resulted in a disaster for the culture and collective memory of the city. Due to the natural disasters, it was decided to relocate the city to the called Valle de la Mocha, location where it is currently situated. Slowly the seminary was revived in the new location, in a period of decline in academic activity in Chilean monastic universities after the creation of the Universidad de San Felipe, yet some degrees continued to be granted before the Suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1767.

The aforementioned University is considered to be the natural and legitimate predecessor of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), erected by the Archbishop of Concepción in 1991, from the Talcahuano Regional Headquarters of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.

The image of the Pontifical University of Concepción Pencopolitana, is still valid, for His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain in his 1990 speech on the occasion of his inauguration as Doctor Honoris Causa in the University of Chile, in Santiago de Chile, said: "The work of the Pontifical University Pencopolitana should not be ignored, even before the creation of the University of San Felipe" (Juan Carlos's account fails to acknowledge the existence of San Felipe's predecessor, the Dominican Universidad de Santo Tomás de Aquino, from the sixteenth century in Santiago).

Meanwhile, the University of Chile allowed schools in the city to teach courses in law which allowed men to obtain a law degree. Among its students was Henry Urrutia Manzano, who decades later became president of the Supreme Court of Chile.

The Universidad de Concepción was created in 1919 by a group of citizens including Enrique Molina Garmendia, its first rector.

Eventually, the university began to receive state support, becoming part of the traditional universities, becoming one of the three most important universities in the country, and the most important at the regional level.

• Universidad de Concepción
• Universidad del Bío-Bío
• Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
• Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María

• Universidad del Desarrollo
• Universidad Andrés Bello
• Universidad Arcis
• Universidad San Sebastián
• Universidad Santo Tomás
• University of the Pacific (Chile)
• Universidad de Las Américas
• Universidad Bolivariana
• Universidad Pedro de Valdivia
• Universidad La República
• Universidad de Aconcagua
• Universidad Tecnológica de Chile INACAP

• Instituto Profesional DuocUC, of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
• Instituto Profesional Virginio Gómez, of the Universidad de Concepción
• Instituto Tecnológico, of the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción
• Instituto Profesional Santo Tomás, of the Universidad Santo Tomás
• Instituto Profesional AIEP, of the Universidad Andrés Bello
• Instituto Profesional La Araucana
• Instituto Profesional Providencia
• Instituto de Estudios Bancarios Guillermo Subercaseaux
• Instituto Profesional Diego Portales
• Instituto Profesional Crecic
• Instituto Profesional Placex
• Instituto Profesional INACAP

{{expand section|date=April 2015}}

The city has a French international school, the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle and a German school, the Colegio Alemán de Concepción, and two British schools, the Saint John's School and the Wessex School. The French school is located in the city downtown, the Wessex in Concepcion (nearer to Penco) and the German school and the Saint John's both in the San Pedro de la Paz area.{{Cite web |title=DSC Colegio Alemán de Concepción - DSC |url=https://www.dsc.cl/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805104650/http://www.dsc.cl/ |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |access-date=June 28, 2018}}

The defunct Concepción College was a parochial girls' day school and boarding school, established in 1878 by the Methodist Episcopal Church.{{cite book |title=Anuario de la prensa chilena 1892 |date=1893 |publisher=Biblioteca Nacional |location=Santiago de Chile |page=41 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T6xAAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA41 |access-date=27 July 2022 |language=es}}{{cite book |author1=Methodist Episcopal Church Missionary Society |title=Annual Report of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church |date=1908 |publisher=The Society |page=461 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6VUxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA461 |access-date=27 July 2022 |language=en}} {{Source-attribution}}

• Liceo Comercial Femenino Concepción

The city is served by Carriel Sur International Airport in Talcahuano. The metro area's public transportation comprises a number of bus lines that run through several avenues and streets of the communes belonging to the agglomeration, as well as the commuter rail system known as Biotrén.

The climate of Concepción is classified as Köppen: Csb, warm summer mediterranean, with a dry mild summer. The cool waters of the Pacific Ocean help to maintain mild temperatures throughout the year. Temperatures rarely exceed {{convert|30|C|F}} or fall below {{convert|0|C|F|1}}. In the six-month period between May and October, the city receives approximately 83% of its total annual precipitation, which totals {{convert|1130|mm|in|abbr=on}}. The wettest month since records began in 1912 was June 2000 with {{convert|565.7|mm|in|1}}, whilst all months from November to April have been rainless on occasions.[https://archive.today/20120709074020/http://climexp.knmi.nl/data/tspa85682.txt Climate explorer for Concepción]

{{Weather box

|location = Concepción, Chile (Carriel Sur International Airport) 1991–2020, extremes 1966–present

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|Jan record high C = 34.1

|Feb record high C = 34.4

|Mar record high C = 30.9

|Apr record high C = 27.2

|May record high C = 25.8

|Jun record high C = 22.0

|Jul record high C = 21.7

|Aug record high C = 25.0

|Sep record high C = 28.8

|Oct record high C = 27.6

|Nov record high C = 32.5

|Dec record high C = 33.4

|year record high C = 34.4

|Jan high C = 23.0

|Feb high C = 22.5

|Mar high C = 21.3

|Apr high C = 18.4

|May high C = 15.7

|Jun high C = 13.8

|Jul high C = 13.3

|Aug high C = 14.0

|Sep high C = 15.6

|Oct high C = 17.2

|Nov high C = 19.5

|Dec high C = 21.5

|year high C = 18.0

|Jan mean C = 17.1

|Feb mean C = 16.7

|Mar mean C = 15.6

|Apr mean C = 13.3

|May mean C = 11.7

|Jun mean C = 10.2

|Jul mean C = 9.5

|Aug mean C = 10.0

|Sep mean C = 10.9

|Oct mean C = 12.3

|Nov mean C = 14.2

|Dec mean C = 15.9

|year mean C = 13.1

|Jan low C = 11.2

|Feb low C = 10.9

|Mar low C = 10.0

|Apr low C = 8.3

|May low C = 7.7

|Jun low C = 6.7

|Jul low C = 5.7

|Aug low C = 6.0

|Sep low C = 6.2

|Oct low C = 7.4

|Nov low C = 8.8

|Dec low C = 10.3

|year low C = 8.3

|Jan record low C = 4.6

|Feb record low C = 3.6

|Mar record low C = 1.6

|Apr record low C = -1.0

|May record low C = -2.1

|Jun record low C = -2.2

|Jul record low C = -3.8

|Aug record low C = -2.5

|Sep record low C = -1.4

|Oct record low C = -0.8

|Nov record low C = 1.6

|Dec record low C = 3.4

|year record low C = -3.8

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 9.9

|Feb precipitation mm = 14.9

|Mar precipitation mm = 22.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 68.8

|May precipitation mm = 151.6

|Jun precipitation mm = 221.2

|Jul precipitation mm = 168.1

|Aug precipitation mm = 148.9

|Sep precipitation mm = 77.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 53.2

|Nov precipitation mm = 27.2

|Dec precipitation mm = 21.1

|year precipitation mm = 984.3

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 1.2

|Feb precipitation days = 1.7

|Mar precipitation days = 2.5

|Apr precipitation days = 5.5

|May precipitation days = 9.7

|Jun precipitation days = 13.9

|Jul precipitation days = 12.4

|Aug precipitation days = 11.5

|Sep precipitation days = 7.2

|Oct precipitation days = 5.9

|Nov precipitation days = 3.9

|Dec precipitation days = 2.6

|year precipitation days = 78.0

|Jan humidity = 74

|Feb humidity = 76

|Mar humidity = 79

|Apr humidity = 83

|May humidity = 87

|Jun humidity = 87

|Jul humidity = 85

|Aug humidity = 83

|Sep humidity = 81

|Oct humidity = 79

|Nov humidity = 77

|Dec humidity = 75

|year humidity = 81

|Jan sun = 327.6

|Feb sun = 279.3

|Mar sun = 252.3

|Apr sun = 185.4

|May sun = 131.0

|Jun sun = 111.9

|Jul sun = 133.6

|Aug sun = 154.3

|Sep sun = 196.2

|Oct sun = 244.6

|Nov sun = 286.2

|Dec sun = 317.0

|year sun = 2619.4

|source 1 = Dirección Meteorológica de Chile{{Cite web |title=Datos Normales y Promedios Históricos Promedios de 30 años o menos |url=https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/datosNormales/360019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523170723/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/datosNormales/360019 |archive-date=23 May 2023 |access-date=23 May 2023 |publisher=Dirección Meteorológica de Chile |language=es}}{{Cite web |title=Temperatura Histórica de la Estación Carriel Sur, Concepción. (360019) |url=https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/temperaturaHistoricaAnual/360019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230523170910/https://climatologia.meteochile.gob.cl/application/historico/temperaturaHistoricaAnual/360019 |archive-date=23 May 2023 |access-date=23 May 2023 |publisher=Dirección Meteorológica de Chile |language=es}}{{Cite web |date=March 2001 |title=Estadistica Climatologica Tomo II |url=http://164.77.222.61/climatologia/publicaciones/Estadistica_ClimatologicaII.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303180012/http://164.77.222.61/climatologia/publicaciones/Estadistica_ClimatologicaII.pdf |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=March 17, 2014 |publisher=Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil |pages=89–161 |language=es |df=mdy-all}}

|source 2 = NOAA (precipitation days 1991–2020){{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230804191636/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Chile/CSV/Carrielsuraeropuertoconcepcion_85682.csv

| archive-date = 4 August 2023

| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-3-WMO-Normals-9120/Chile/CSV/Carrielsuraeropuertoconcepcion_85682.csv

| title = Carriel Sur Aeropuerto Concepción Climate Normals 1991–2020

| work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 4 August 2023}}

|date = December 2013}}

As might be expected for such a large urban area heavily dependent on wood-burning for heat and diesel for transport, the air in Concepción is third-most polluted in Chile, after Santiago and Temuco.[http://en.mercopress.com/2007/06/29/severe-air-pollution-plagues-chilean-cities Severe air pollution plagues Chilean cities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525232346/http://en.mercopress.com/2007/06/29/severe-air-pollution-plagues-chilean-cities |date=May 25, 2014}} Friday, June 29, 2007 – 21:00 UTC

{{historical populations

|percentages = pagr

|1970 |161,006

|1982 |267,891

|1992 |326,784

|2002 |216,061

|2017 |223,574

|source = 1970–1992,According to [https://web.archive.org/web/20070320040225/http://www.censo2002.cl/menu_superior/ultimos/index.htm Last 5 census], the INE 2002,According to Census 2002, operated by the INE. Note that the population decreased in number due to the areas that by then were no longer part of the commune. 2017[https://www.ine.cl/estadisticas/sociales/censos-de-poblacion-y-vivienda/poblacion-y-vivienda 2017 census].

}}

According to data collected in 2002 in the Census of the National Institute of Statistics, the township has an area of {{convert|221.6|sqkm|0|abbr=on}} and a population of 216,061 inhabitants, of whom 103,860 are men and 112,201 are women.

As a commune, Concepcion is home to 14.35% of the total population of the region. 1.88% (4,058 persons) is for the rural population and 98.12% (212,003) for the urban population. Moreover, 5.5% of the country's population lives in the Greater Concepción metro area.

Between 1970 and 1982 there is a large increase in the population. One reason is the inclusion of San Pedro, segregated from the municipality of Coronel.

The Concepción commune population sharply declined in 1996 as its territory was divided, creating Chiguayante and San Pedro de la Paz. The number of people living in these communes has grown quickly since they have become bedroom communities of Concepción, i.e. residential cities that do not have a center with many shops, as is the case of Concepcion.

There is a significant percentage of foreign residents in the city, the most numerous are the Spanish, Italian and US expatriate communities. There are also smaller segments of German, French, British, Dutch, Greek, Portuguese, Croatian, Scandinavian, Arab and Australian descendants in a city settled by waves of immigration.

File:Año nuevo en Concepción.jpg

To an outsider, there may be confusion between the demonyms of the inhabitants of Concepción and the nearby city of Penco. Due to the previous location of Concepción being where Penco currently stands, inhabitants of Concepción are called penquistas while inhabitants of Penco are known as pencones. Additionally, the unofficial term pencopolitano has been coined to refer to locals of any commune belonging to the metropolis or, in a wider definition, to the Concepción province, although the term penquista can technically be used in this case as well.

File:REC_2020.jpg

In 2014, the Rock en Conce festival began to take shape. It would be held outdoors, in the city's Parque Bicentenario (Bicentennial Park), and access to it would be free. The aim of the festival would be to restore the musical spotlight that the city embodied and that earned it the reputation of being the cradle of Chilean rock and, at the same time, to establish itself as a major tourist attraction for the city.{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2014 |title=Festival "Rock en Conce" ya tiene fecha y lugar |url=https://www.tvn.cl/especiales/musica/noticias/festival-rock-en-conce-ya-tiene-fecha-y-lugar-1543128 |website=Televisión Nacional de Chile}} Its first edition took place on Saturday, March 7, 2015, and since then it has been held with great success every year at the end of each summer, bringing together emerging local bands with major and renowned artists from the national and international scene.{{Cite web |last=María Ignacia Inostroza |date=March 19, 2019 |title=#FotosRP: ¡Todo un éxito Rock En Conce 2019! |url=https://www.rockandpop.cl/2019/03/fotosrp-todo-un-exito-rock-en-conce-2019/ |website=Rock & Pop}}

File:Lostres.jpg band was born in the city of Concepción]]

Concepción has been described as the "Chilean capital of rock",{{Cite web |last=Biobiochile.cl |title=Inauguran hito "Concepción: Capital del Rock" en antesala de festival REC 2018 |date=March 2018 |url=https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-del-bio-bio/2018/03/01/inauguran-hito-concepcion-capital-del-rock-en-antesala-de-festival-rec-2018.shtml |access-date=11 August 2020 |language=es}}{{Cite web |last=Ricardo Mahnke |title=Concepción, ¿cuna del rock? - Documentary |url=https://vimeo.com/178375701 |access-date=11 August 2020 |language=es}} since numerous bands of this genre have started their careers in the city, such as Los Tres, Los Bunkers, Emociones Clandestinas, Santos Dumont, De Saloon, Machuca and Julius Popper, among others. Numerous bands have played their first major concerts in the city, such as Los Prisioneros.{{Cite web |last=Nuestro.cl |title=El sorprendente sonido penquista |url=http://www.nuestro.cl/notas/rescate/sonido_penquista1.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204154854/http://www.nuestro.cl/notas/rescate/sonido_penquista1.htm |archive-date=4 February 2012 |access-date=20 January 2013 |language=es}}

The city's music venues are a main feature of the tourist route, La Ruta de la Música, a project driven by the National Service of Tourism (SERNATUR), where besides the rock scene, the local jazz and folk scenes are also shown.{{Cite web |last=ThisisChile.cl |title=La "Ruta de la Música" por Concepción |url=https://www.thisischile.cl/la-ruta-de-la-musica-por-concepcion/ |access-date=11 August 2020 |language=es |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227180021/https://www.thisischile.cl/la-ruta-de-la-musica-por-concepcion/ |url-status=dead }}

Concepción was one of the host cities of the official 1959 Basketball World Cup, where Chile won the bronze medal.

Today, Concepción is home to three professional football teams:

• Club Deportivo Universidad de Concepción, currently in the Primera División
• Club Deportivo Ferroviario Almirante Arturo Fernández Vial, currently, in the Chilean second division
• Club de Deportes Concepción, currently in the Chilean third division.

The most notable professional basketball team is:

• C.D. Universidad de Concepción, currently in the Liga Nacional de Básquetbol de Chile.

File:Mercado Central de Concepción.jpg

Historically characterized by a strong manufacturing industry, Concepción has also been a major center for distribution and services and the financial basis of the regional economy.

Trade in the city is concentrated in the Plaza Independencia (Independence Square), the pedestrian street Alonso de Ercilla y Zúñiga (built in 1981), and along the major avenues. One such avenue is the Diego Barros Arana street which has developed into the commercial center of the city and the region was until 1907 even known as "calle Comercio" ("Commerce Street"). New commercial centers are being developed around the old central station and the new civic district as a part of the Chilean bicentennial (September 18, 2010). A considerable percentage of local trade is taking place in settlements around the city, in communes such as Hualpén, Talcahuano and San Pedro de la Paz, where there are bustling shopping centers, such as Mall Plaza del Trébol, and where there is a constant commercial development.

Other commercial spots, related to food, are the Vega Monumental and Mercado Central de Concepción (Central Market of Concepción) places offering various services and agricultural and livestock products.

As a commune, Concepción is a third-level administrative division of Chile administered by a municipal council, headed by an alcalde who is directly elected every four years. The 2016–2020 mayor was Álvaro Ortiz Vera (Christian Democratic Party), who was first elected in 2012. The communal council has 10 seats, which are currently occupied (2016–2020) by three for Christian Democratic Party, two for National Renewal, two for Independent Democrat Union, one for Communist Party, one for Socialist Party, and one for Radical Party. The following members are:

Within the electoral divisions of Chile, Concepción is represented in the Chamber of Deputies by Gaston Saavedra (PS), José Miguel Ortiz (PDC), Jaime Toha (PS), Felix Gonzalez (PEV), Enrique Van Rysselberghe (UDI), Sergio Bobadilla (UDI), Francesca Muñoz (RN) and Leonidas Romero (RN), as part of the 21st electoral district (Concepción Province without Lota). The commune is represented in the Senate by Alejandro Navarro Brain (MAS) and Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe (UDI) as part of the 12th senatorial constituency (Biobío-Costa).

{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|

• Marlene Ahrens, athlete (1933–2020)
• Santiago Manuel de Alday y Aspée, Bishop of Santiago between 1755 and 1788 (1712–1789)
• Patricio Almendra, footballer (b. 1977)
• Luis Altamirano, President of the 1924 Government Junta of Chile (1867–1938)
• Graciela Araya, opera singer (b. 1962)
• Miguel Ardiman, footballer (b. 1967)
• Enrique Soro Barriga, composer (1884–1954)
• Diego José Benavente, President of the Senate of Chile (1790–1867)
• Manuel Bulnes, President of Chile between 1841 and 1851 (1799–1866)
• Roberto Cartes, footballer (b. 1972)
• Arturo del Castillo, comic book artist (1925–1992)
• Bélgica Castro, actress (1921–2020)
• Delfina de la Cruz, pianist and First Lady of Chile (1837–1905)
• José María de la Cruz, soldier (1799–1875)
• De Saloon, pop and rock band
• Francisco Encina, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile (b. 1943)
• Edgardo Enríquez, Minister of Education of Chile (1912–1996)
• Miguel Enríquez, physician and politician (1944–1974)
• Luis Pedro Figueroa, footballer (b. 1983)
• Alfredo France, footballer (1895–1938)
• Adrián García, tennis player (b. 1978)
• Enrique Molina Garmendia, founder of the University of Concepción, one of the top universities in Chile (1871–1964)
• Gonzalo Garrido, road bicycle racer (b. 1973)
• José Goñi, Minister of National Defense of Chile (b. 1948)
• Osvaldo González, footballer (b. 1984)
• Viviana Guzmán, flutist and composer (b. 1964)
• Isidora Jiménez, athlete (b. 1993)
• Klaus Junge, chess master (1924–1945)
• Los Bunkers, alternative rock band
• Los Tres, rock band
• Ignacio Urrutia Manzano, politician (1879–1951)
• Mandolino, singer and comedian (1934–2014)
• Adelqui Migliar, film actor, director, writer and producer (1891–1956)
• Carla Muñoz, racquetball player (b. 1992)
• Tomás Pablo Elorza, President of the Senate of Chile (1921–1999)
• Rodrigo Peñailillo, Minister of the Interior of Chile (b. 1973)
• Pepo, cartoonist (1911–2000)
• José Joaquín Prieto, President of Chile between 1831 and 1841 (1786–1854)
• Raimundo Rebolledo, footballer (b. 1997)
• Cristián Reyes, sprinter (b. 1986)
• Ximena Rincón, President of the Senate of Chile (b. 1968)
• Arturo Sanhueza, footballer (b. 1979)
• Waldo Sanhueza, football manager and president of Colo-Colo (1900–1966)
• José A. Santos, retired American jockey (b. 1961)
• René Schneider, commander-in-chief of the Chilean Army (1913–1970)
• Sebastián Sepúlveda, screenwriter, film producer and director (b. 1972)
• Ricardo Soto, recurve archer (b. 1999)
• Cristián Uribe, footballer (b. 1976)
• José Francisco Urrejola, President of the Senate of Chile (1911–2004)
• Ignacio Urrutia Manzano, President of the Senate of Chile (1879–1951)
• René Valenzuela, footballer (b. 1955)
• Paulina Veloso, lawyer and Socialist Party politician (b. 1957)
• Luis Vera, footballer (1929–2014)
• Juan de Dios Vial del Río, President of the Senate of Chile (1774–1850)
• Gustavo Viveros, footballer (b. 1947)
• Elena Waiss, pianist (1908–1988)
• Aníbal Zañartu, politician (1847–1902)
• Miguel de Zañartu, lawyer and politician, signatory of the Chilean Declaration of Independence (1786–1851)

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Arco de Medicina UdeC.jpg|Arch of the Faculty of Medicine University of Concepción

Moderno Edificio en Concepción.jpg|Caja Los Andes Building in downtown Concepción

Hotel El Araucano.JPG|The hotel Araucano of Concepción in the center of the city

Parque Ecuador.jpg|View of Ecuador Park, on the slopes of Cerro Caracol

Casa-central.jpg|The Concepción Cathedral from the Plaza de la Independencia

Edificio de los Tribunales de Justicia de Concepcion.JPG|Palace of the Court of Appeals of Concepción

Concepcion1.jpg|The avenue O'Higgins

Casa de Pedro del Rio Castellon.JPG|Casa de Pedro del Río

Concepcion, edificios (15400894209).jpg|Buildings in Concepción

Centro Español de Concepción.jpg|Spanish Center

Centro Cívico Concepción.JPG|Civic center

Mural panoramico.JPG|Presencia de América Latina, mural declared national monument of Chile

A 23 year old Chilean forestry student named Jorge Matute disappeared mysteriously in a discotheque that was located close to Concepción on 20 November 1999. In February 2004 on a road in Santa Juana, Matute's remains were found and identified.{{cite news|url=http://www.lanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20050428/pags/20050428113059.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050429045436/http://www.lanacion.cl/prontus_noticias/site/artic/20050428/pags/20050428113059.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 April 2005 | work=La Nación | title=Restos de Jorge Matute Johns llegaron a Concepción (in Spanish)| date=28 April 2005}}

Concepción's sister cities are:

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• {{flagicon|PSE}} Bethlehem, Palestine (2006){{cite web |title=Concepción|url=http://www.bethlehem-city.org/en/concepci%C3%B3n-english|website=bethlehem-city.org|publisher=Bethlehem|access-date=2021-12-21}}
• {{flagicon|BRA}} Campinas, Brasil (1979){{cite web |title=Cidades Irmãs|url=http://www.campinas.sp.gov.br/governo/cooperacao_internacional/irmas/|website=campinas.sp.gov.br|publisher=Campinas|language=pt|access-date=2021-12-21}}
• {{flagicon|BRA}} Cascavel, Brazil (2006)[http://www.cronica.cl/edicion_cronica/seccion/articulo.php?id=29816&dia=1163646000 Diario Crónica: Concepción y Cascavel son ciudades hermanas]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}{{better source needed|date=December 2021}}
• {{flagicon|ECU}} Guayaquil, Ecuador (2006)[http://www.eluniverso.com.ec/web/titulares.php?seccion=fzuyEtT&codigo=8z0w6cDTri&nuevo_mes=01&nuevo_ano=2006&dias=28¬icias=2006-01-28 Convenio de hermanamiento]{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}, en El universo Guayaquil{{better source needed|date=December 2021}}
• {{flagicon|COL}} Medellín, Colombia (1998){{cite web |title=Medellín (Antioquia / Colombia)|url=https://www.museovirtualug.org/medell%C3%ADn|website=museovirtualug.org|publisher=Universidad de Guanajuato|language=es|access-date=2021-12-21}}
• {{flagicon|MEX}} Monterrey, Mexico (1997){{cite web |title=Acuerdos interinstitucionales registrados por dependencias y municipios de Nuevo León|url=https://coordinacionpolitica.sre.gob.mx/index.php/entidades/159-nuevo-leon|website=sre.gob.mx|publisher=Secretaría de relaciones exteriores|language=es|access-date=2021-12-21}}
• {{flagicon|CHN}} Nanjing, China (2018){{cite web |title=Acuerdo de Hermanamiento entre Concepción y Nanjing!|url=https://citydiplomacy.org/2018/05/30/acuerdo-de-hermanamiento-entre-concepcion-y-nanjing/|website=citydiplomacy.org|language=es|date=2018-05-30|access-date=2021-12-21}}
• {{flagicon|ARG}} La Plata, Argentina (1993){{Cite web |title=Concepción y La Plata, ciudades hermanas |url=http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/portal/seree/dirfe/hermanamientos2.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520134809/http://www.cancilleria.gov.ar/portal/seree/dirfe/hermanamientos2.html |archive-date=May 20, 2007 |access-date=August 11, 2020}}
• {{flagicon|ARG}} San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina (2013){{Cite web |last=El Diario 24 |date=July 19, 2013 |title=San Miguel de Tucumán y Concepción de Chile ahora son ciudades hermanas |url=https://www.eldiario24.com/nota/tucuman/295272/san-miguel-tucuman-concepcion-chile-ahora-son-ciudades-hermanas.html}}
• {{flagicon|CHN}} Wuhan, China (2014){{Cite web |last=Ilustre Municipalidad de Concepción |date=October 28, 2014 |title=Concepción se hermanó con Wuhan |url=http://www.concepcion.cl/noticia/concepcion-se-hermano-con-wuhan/ |access-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-date=January 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109185720/http://www.concepcion.cl/noticia/concepcion-se-hermano-con-wuhan/ |url-status=dead }}

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• Greater Concepción
• Biobío Region
• Santa Juana
• Florida
• Dichato
• Biobío River

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons}}

{{Wiktionary|Concepción}}

• El Sur [https://web.archive.org/web/19981202055452/http://www.elsur.cl/ El Sur, newspaper of Concepción] {{in lang|es}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20141218153635/http://viveconce.cl/ Viveconce, Event schedule of Concepción] {{in lang|es}}
• [https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/130916/Concepcion Source about Concepción – Encyclopædia Britannica]
• [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CI/06/Concepcion.html Geographical coordinates and NASA images, Google]
• {{Wikivoyage inline|Concepción}}

{{Concepcion}}

{{Communes in Bío Bío Region}}

{{Large cities of Chile}}

{{2010 Chile earthquake}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Concepcion, Chile}}

Category:Communes of Chile

Category:Capitals of Chilean regions

Category:Capitals of Chilean provinces

Category:Populated places established in 1550

Category:Geography of Biobío Region

Category:Populated places in Concepción Province

Category:1550 establishments in the Spanish Empire

Category:1550 establishments in South America