Sewell Mining Town

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A Unique Legacy: The Abandoned Sewell Mining Town, Chile

The Sewell Mining Town, nestled amidst the towering peaks of the Andes, stands as a testament to human ingenuity, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of those who dared to conquer nature for the sake of progress. Located approximately 60 kilometers east of Rancagua, this once bustling settlement was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006, offering a captivating glimpse into the past while serving as a reminder of the transient nature of human endeavors.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Situated at 2,000 m in the Andes, 60 km to the east of Rancagua, in an environment marked by extremes of climate, Sewell Mining Town was built by the Braden Copper company in 1905 to house workers at what was to become the world’s largest underground copper mine, El Teniente. It is an outstanding example of the company towns that were born in many remote parts of the world from the fusion of local labour and resources from an industrialized nation, to mine and process high-value natural resources. The town was built on a terrain too steep for wheeled vehicles around a large central staircase rising from the railway station. Along its route formal squares of irregular shape with ornamental trees and plants constituted the main public spaces or squares of the town. The buildings lining the streets are timber, often painted in vivid green, yellow, red and blue. At its peak Sewell numbered 15,000 inhabitants, but was largely abandoned in the 1970s.

Encyclopedia Record: Sewell, Chile

Sewell is an uninhabited Chilean mining town located on the slopes of the Andes in the commune of Machalí in Cachapoal Province, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region, at an altitude of between 2,000 and 2,250 metres. In 2006, it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known as a former company town, developed by Braden Copper Company for housing the workers associated with the operations of El Teniente, the largest underground copper mine in the world.

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