Lo Barnechea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lo Barnechea
Commune
Los Trapenses, Lo Barnechea
Coat of arms Location of Lo Barnechea in Greater Santiago Lo Barnechea Location in Chile
Country	Chile
Region	Santiago Metropolitan
Province	Santiago
Constituency	VIII - East Santiago
District	No. 11
Founded	9 March 1981
Area
• Total	1,024 km2 (395 sq mi)
Elevation	800 m (2,600 ft)
Population  (2017)
• Total	105,833
Demonym(s)	Barnecheíno, -a barnecheano, -a
Time zone	UTC−4
• Summer (DST)	UTC−3

Lo Barnechea is a large area in the northeastern part of Santiago, Chile. It covers almost half of the Santiago province. This commune is bordered by mountains and other towns. It's a unique place because it has a mix of different neighborhoods. Some areas like La Dehesa and Los Trapenses are home to families with higher incomes. Other parts, such as the old town of Lo Barnechea and Cerro Dieciocho, have families with lower incomes.

Exploring Lo Barnechea's Past

The commune of Lo Barnechea, seen from Cerro Dieciocho. You can spot the church, the Mapocho River, and Cerro Alvarado in the distance.

People have lived in Lo Barnechea for thousands of years. Long before the Incas, groups like the Llolleo and Bato cultures lived here. Later, the Aconcagua culture, the Promaucaes, and the Incas settled in this area. After that, the Spanish arrived.

The Meaning of "Huaicoches"

The first people here were called huaicoches. This word comes from the Mapudungún language and means 'people who live in a landslide zone'. This is because of the huaicos or huaycos that happen in the region. A huayco (from the Quechua word wayqu) is a powerful flood. It carries a lot of mud, rocks, and trees down from the hills. These floods can bury everything in their path. Scientists today call them "debris flows." They happen when a lot of rain falls or a river overflows high up in the mountains.

How Lo Barnechea Became a Commune

The town of Lo Barnechea started in the 1800s. For a long time, it stayed a separate rural town, even as Greater Santiago grew around it. On March 9, 1981, Lo Barnechea officially became a new commune. It was created from a part of the Las Condes commune. However, it wasn't until May 20, 1991, that the Municipality of Lo Barnechea was fully set up. This happened on the same day as its neighbor, Vitacura.

Lo Barnechea's Natural Landscape

Rivers and Streams

Lo Barnechea is home to several important waterways.

• Mapocho River
• San Francisco River
• Molina River

Many streams also flow through the area:

• El Arrayán Stream (a protected Nature Sanctuary)
• El Carrizo Stream
• El Gabino Stream
• El Guindo Stream
• El Manzano Stream
• Las Hualtatas Stream
• Las Rosas Stream

Creeks

Smaller creeks also crisscross the landscape:

• El Culén Creek
• El Ají Creek
• El Guindo Creek
• El Peumo Creek
• Huallalolén Creek
• La Carbonera Creek
• Las Ñipas Creek
• Las Zorras Creek
• Los Chanchos Creek

Life in Lo Barnechea

Neighborhoods and Their Stories

The main part of Lo Barnechea is found below 1,000 meters (about 3,280 feet) in the Mapocho River basin and the La Dehesa valley. It has many different neighborhoods. Some well-known areas are Los Trapenses, La Dehesa, and El Huinganal. There are also traditional neighborhoods like the Pueblo de Lo Barnechea, Cerro 18, San Enrique, and El Arrayán.

Many streets in Lo Barnechea are named after old family properties. For example, El León Street reminds people of an old inn called "El León." This inn used to welcome miners after their long workdays.

What Lo Barnechea Produces

In 2018, there were over 10,000 businesses in Lo Barnechea. Some of the main activities include selling clothes, teaching dance, and running amusement parks. This shows a diverse economy.

How Lo Barnechea is Governed

Local Government

The local government of Lo Barnechea is led by a Mayor. From 2021 to 2024, the Mayor is Juan Cristóbal Lira Ibáñez. The Mayor works with a group of elected officials called councilors. They help make decisions for the commune.

The current councilors are:

• Juana Mir Balmaceda
• Cristian Daly Dagorret
• Michael Comber Vial
• María Teresa Urrutia Greve
• Paulette Guiloff Hes
• Benjamín Errazuriz Palacios
• Rodrigo Arellano Falcon
• Francisco Madrid Vera

Buildings and Homes

Lo Barnechea doesn't have many very old buildings. You can find a few colonial-style houses in the old town. However, the commune is known for its many large, luxurious homes. These are mostly found in areas like Arrayán, Los Trapenses, and La Dehesa. These homes have been built in the last twenty years and are among the most expensive in Chile.

At the same time, Lo Barnechea also has social housing and homes built by the first residents of the town. This creates a strong contrast in the commune. You can see neighborhoods with very different types of homes and social groups, sometimes just across the street from each other.

Shopping Centers

Lo Barnechea also has several modern shopping centers. These include Portal La Dehesa, Espacio Urbano La Dehesa, Paseo Los Trapenses, and Mall Vivo Los Trapenses.

Getting Around Lo Barnechea

Lo Barnechea is not very well connected to the main public transport system of Santiago. This means many people in Lo Barnechea and Vitacura own cars. It was hoped that a tramway would connect Lo Barnechea to the Santiago Metro by 2020. This would have been a big step, as Lo Barnechea is one of the few communes in Santiago without a metro station. However, the tram project was canceled.

The commune is served by some bus routes. There is also an elevator on Cerro 18. It helps people get from Los Quincheros Street to the top of the hill, where the Parque de la Chilenidad is located.

Lo Barnechea's Weather

Lo Barnechea has a Mediterranean climate. This means it has a long dry season and a rainy winter.

• The average yearly rainfall is about 360 mm (14 inches).
• The average temperature is 14 °C (57 °F).
• The average high temperature is 22 °C (72 °F).
• The average low temperature is 7 °C (45 °F).

Because Lo Barnechea is in a foothill area, its climate can change a lot with altitude. As you go higher, rainfall increases, and temperatures drop. When it rains for several days in a row, the rivers can swell. This has caused flooding in the past, especially along the Mapocho River.

The Great Flood of 1982

In 1982, warm winter weather caused the snow in the mountains to melt very quickly. This led to a huge increase in water and mud flowing into the rivers. The natural and artificial drainage systems couldn't handle it, and they overflowed. This caused widespread flooding.

If a similar event happened today, it could be even worse. This is because more buildings have been built on higher ground, changing the natural landscape.

Learning in Lo Barnechea

Lo Barnechea has many schools and universities, offering different types of education.

Universities and Institutes

• Andrés Bello National University
• Universidad del Desarrollo
• University of Chile (with a health center for teens)
• Culinary Institute
• CPEIP (a center for teacher training)

Public Schools

These schools are run by the municipality:

• Colegio Diferencial Madre Tierra (a special education school)
• Colegio de Adultos Fermín Vivaceta (for adult learners)
• Colegio Farellones
• Colegio Lo Barnechea (with three campuses for different age groups)

Subsidized Schools

These schools receive some government funding:

• Colegio Polivalente San Rafael
• Colegio Parroquial Santa Rosa
• Centro Educacional San Esteban Mártir
• Colegio Betterland School
• Colegio San Juan de Kronstandt

Private Schools

These schools are privately funded:

• Craighouse School
• Colegio Nido de Águilas
• Colegio Everest
• Santiago College
• Colegio Monte Tabor y Nazaret
• The Southland School
• Colegio Newland
• The Mayflower School
• Colegio Huinganal
• Colegio los Alerces
• Huelquén Montessori
• Instituto Hebreo
• Maimonides School
• Lincoln International Academy
• Bertrait College
• Anglo American International School
• Japanese Language Institute (a school for Japanese students living abroad)

Sports in Lo Barnechea

Soccer Teams

Lo Barnechea has two soccer teams that play in official leagues:

Friends Around the World

Lo Barnechea has "sister cities" in other countries. This means they have a special friendship and often share ideas and culture.

• Tyler, Texas, United States
• Guayaquil, Ecuador

See also

In Spanish: Lo Barnechea para niños