Villarrica's history
In December 1551 Pedro de Valdivia discovered Lake Mallolafquen (Lake of white chalk), better known as Lake Villarrica. One year later Geronimo de Alderete founded "Santa Maria Magdalena de Villa Rica" in the same place where the actual city lies. The goal of the foundation was to establish a pass over the Andes and the exploitation of gold. Half a century after the foundation 140 families lived in Villarrica, more than 600 persons.
Mapuche wars
In 1599 the local natives attacked the city with the general uprising of the Mapuche Indians. After three years of fighting and suffering from hunger and disease, the remaining 13 women and 11 men surrendered on 7 February 1602. Seven of them were freed years later, and they told the story of Villarrica's fall.
Peace and resettlement
280 years later General Gregorio Urrutia, representing the Chilean government, and more than 300 Mapuche Chiefs signed a peace treaty. Among the Chiefs were Epulef, Chief of Villarrica, Panchulef, Chief of Putue and Aquimanco, Chief of Ñiquen. On 1 January 1883, Villarrica was refounded.
Immediately the first settlers and traders arrived, most of them sons of German settlers from Valdivia. Because of the natural beauty of the region, the lake and the perfect cone of the volcano, tourism was picking up from the beginning of the century. People arrived by train to Freire, from there it was a seven hours trip on horseback to Villarrica. In 1933 the train reached the lake shore, and the steam ship Doña Rosa connected Villarrica with Pucón. The road between the two cities was built in 1940 and paved in 1967.