Rafael, Chile facts for kids

Rafael is a small town located in the Tomé area of Concepción Province, which is part of the Biobío Region in Chile.

History of Rafael

Rafael started as an important meeting point on the Camino Real, which was a main road connecting Concepción with Chillan and Santiago. It was first known for a mill built near the Pingueral River.

On October 24, 1657, a fort called San Rafael de Coelemu was built here by Pedro Porter Casanate. The fort's job was to protect the important royal roads and keep the Coelemu area safe from attacks by the Mapuche people.

Later, a Jesuit mission, which was a type of religious community, and a church were also built in Rafael.

In 1835, Rafael became the capital city of the Department of Coelemu. However, this changed in January 1854, when the town of Coelemu took over as the capital.

On October 22, 1891, Rafael was officially made a municipality. This meant it could manage its own local government. Then, on December 30, 1927, Rafael became part of the new Department of Tomé.