The Spanish Conquest and Mapuche Rebellion

In spite of Caburgua's isolation, it is part of Chile's fascinating history. In the 16th century when the Spanish first settled in Chile, they quickly founded Santiago in 1541, Concepcion in 1550, and Villarrica in 1552.

During the latter's first decade, the Mapuche rebelled and destroyed the settlement, but the Spanish rebuilt it.  In 1603, however, a Mapuche rebellion forced the Spanish to abandon Villarrica and many other communities. For almost three centuries, these towns disappeared.

In contrast to the history of most of the Americas, in Southern Chile, the Mapuche defeated the Spanish. Not until the construction of the railroad in Southern Chile in the 1880s was Villarrica reestablished. Three years later, in 1883 Chilean government established the first fort at Pucón.