Guayacan

A slightly less tourist destination, but very relevant to the history of the bay and the region is Guayacán, an old neighborhood south of the peninsula that in 2005 was declared a Typical Zone for its particular architecture and urban landmarks full of history.

 

Like many other villages in Chile, the development of Guayacán during the 19th century was born from the mining push that began in 1846 when Robert Edward and the Commercial Society Urmeneta and Errázuriz chose this quiet coast to refine and export the copper extracted from the interior mines. Perhaps few know, but this refinery of 35 ovens and three chimneys of 40 mt. tall at one time it became the largest in the world.
 


Thus, due to the large number of foreigners who arrived, mainly English, in Guayacán, new houses, a port, offices, a chemical laboratory, a church, and a train were built in 1862 that connected with the rest of Coquimbo and La Serena.
 
At the moment in the place of Guayacán its church, the laboratory house, and a cemented road are still conserved that indicates where the old rails passed.